Love and Other Crimes
by ninanna
Summary: Aomine Daiki is the prodigy that everyone loves and hates in the Organized Crime Bureau of TMPD. However, his nonchalantly brilliant career receives a huge hit when he blows his own operation for the sake of a colleague working undercover. As his world descends into turmoil and he tastes self-doubt, a vivacious blond host carelessly enters into his life and things rapidly change.
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

(_**A/N**: I am apparently very talentless in both naming things and writing summaries, but yes, this is basically an AU with Police!Aomine and Host!Kise and this is supposed to be light-hearted and more slice-of-life than a thriller. It is still a cop drama though. There is a little bit of angst because world without angst is impossible. Also there are suggestive elements but sexual content is only implied. I have been extremely self-concious on writing another multi-chapter aokise, but I actually planned out the whole plot for this in advance so I am hopeful. Updates might be a little sporadic though.)_

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The sublime liquid invades his mouth with a distinct burn but soon the seductive smoky flavour conquers any and all taste buds he has. He can feel the soothing effect of alcohol, yet his inner turmoil is unyielding, untameable, defiant.

"_Just... stay away and take care for now._"

Momoi's gaze had been affectionate and understanding when she said that, concerned rather than angry, and he was aware of all this but nothing changed the fact that he had fucked up.

Fucked up big time.

The anger boiled in his veins and he realised just how much he hated it all.

Haizaki was a known criminal, the scumbag drug dealer whose men sold the deadly poison to any and all from middle school students to civil servants. His boss Hanamiya was the infamous number one drug lord and weapons smuggler in the city, an authentic yakuza, a recently crowned genius third generation heir. From street urchins to high ranking officials, all in the city knew both men and their vicious dealings, yet knowing was not enough and it was in days like this, when Aomine had to sacrifice either a friend or a case, he most intimately realised the flaws of the system.

There were days he felt bored due to the banality of it all and his own flawless prowess in the profession and then there were days like this when he would be utterly and nonsensically defeated not out of his own lack of might but per the requisites of the law and order. He would realise that the system itself was designed to defeat the ones who cared and reward the vilest of the vile, as long as they were affluent.

He hated it.

He hated it all. The idea of hunting down Haizaki was extremely alluring to him but luckily he had not lost his rationality to that degree yet, nor his belief in the dexterity of the Deputy Prosecutor-General Akashi Seijuurou. They had taken down Imayoshi after all, the infamous yakuza head, just a year ago. Hanamiya should have been a breeze, Haizaki was only a fly...

He could not calm the fury inside and the murderous gaze that spilled from his eyes despite the inquisitive looks he received from other patrons and various hosts and hostesses. Some women eyed him hungrily – they must have been looking for trouble, for he was in no mood for a fuck or even just some small talk and random flirtation.

"You'll get wrinkles if you scowl that hard, you know."

The voice was high pitched and melodious but evidently male, he was able to detect its owner in his peripheral vision, not that the said owner was anyone who could be overlooked: wearing ritzy clothing, around the same height as Aomine, seemed to be beaming even in the dimly lit bar. A host.

_A fucking host_.

"Oh, so you will just ignore me like that? Not that I am easy to ignore, all tall and handsome."

"I am not interested."

"Really? Here I thought you definitely swung _this way_."

Aomine sighed and signed the barkeep for a refill.

"No-answer counts as a positive answer, you know?"

"I am not going to buy any more alcohol than I am planning to buy because you are chatting me up. So, fuck off, host-san."

"Ouch. But hey, what makes you think that I'm trying to get you to buy more? Perhaps I am interested in offering something else? Mm?"

A tender touch of fingertips over his free hand on the bar counter, the contact of skin was very small and thus dearly thrilling, but Aomine was already so fed up that he had no patience to play around; he moved his other hand to his inner pocket and took out his badge, laid it on the counter top between them and turned to the particularly stunning pest,

"Now _that_ is interesting. Because I did not think this was a bar that provided such services."

The blond peeked at the police badge then at Aomine, then at the badge again, his eyes had grown larger in surprise and the officer was hoping that he would be left alone to his brooding and self-blaming; the whole move had been to scare the intruder than to actually uphold justice, for in any case he never had any particular problem with prostitution. There was a reason why he was not part of the Vice Unit after all. However, instead of the desired effect, the unexpected happened and the annoying host started giggling as if he had just heard a hilarious joke. Aomine rose an eyebrow in suspicion and surprise.

"But you see," the host picked up the badge and turned around to see Aomine's ID info, "Officer Aomine...cchi – _Aominecchi_, you were right in your initial assumption, this bar is not that kind of a bar, nor do I sell sex. I am indeed _only_ a host."

Aomine harshly took back his badge from the offering hand, his eyebrows pinched and scowl deepened; he honestly did not want to or care about what this man was up to, as long as he was left alone to despair.

"What the fuck do you want then?"

"How crude."

Aomine sighed and took a long sip from his drink,

"_Again_, I am not going to order more drinks because you are chatting me up. Just scram."

"How about _I_ buy you a drink?"

"Isn't it supposed to work other way around?"

"Normally, yes. But I already clocked out."

"Why are you chatting me up then?"

"Indeed..._ Why_? Could it be because you are quite my type?"

Aomine turned to the blond with an almost astonished face ('almost', because he was struck unready, but it wasn't as if this was the first time he was hit on by a man), the blond snickered in response and signalled the barkeep, who brought a colourful cocktail to him.

"Are you hitting on me?"

"Yes."

"You realise that I am a cop?"

"I didn't know that. But hey, is it supposed to be a turn off? It kind of got me even more excited to be honest... Perhaps I have a newfound fetish."

Aomine blinked as the blond took a few careful sips from his drink, his face never breaking a smile, his gaze mesmerising – he was indeed gorgeous, that was obvious. Not that Aomine minded men either, he had higher standards for male partners (for female partners, as long as they packed a nice rack he was fine), still this man surely met his criteria. The issue was that he truly was not in the mood for a one night stand.

The blond was adamant though,

"You're not going to reject?"

"What makes you think that I'm even considering the question?"

"Come on... I am about 84% sure you swung this way. Or both ways. Huh? What was that look? Both ways it is!"

Aomine gave an irritated glare,

"Whichever way I swing, I am surely not swinging _your way_ tonight."

The host giggled, his fingers found their way onto Aomine's hand again, then to his wrist – these were simple, small touches yet they burnt profoundly, playfully igniting a thrill; was this man truly not a professional?

"Why? You seemed to be brooding and in dear need of company."

"It is the opposite."

"Hmm... I don't think so. You see, I am great at observing people's emotions, that's what makes me a good host," the blond softly gripped Aomine's wrist in his hand, his fingers caressing the smooth skin beneath his palm and under his wrist in equally soothing and enticing circular motions, "and I can see that you are lonely... But you appear angry. You are definitely stressed out."

Aomine sighed, sure the host's voice was sultry and his fingers were able to elicit some want in him despite his depressed mood, but this was nowhere near enough to incite him fully. He was about to move his hand away when he felt the grip tighten,

"I find sex to be a very efficient way to relieve stress."

"Well, I don't."

"Really? Or is it that perhaps you are afraid you will be too rough? Ferocious? Forceful? That you'll..." his golden gaze turned back for a second, his free hand slowly moving to some of the booths on the other side of the large interior, pointing loosely to some hostesses accompanying patrons, "break their delicate frames and hurt their emotions?"

For a second, Aomine felt his heartbeat race, there was something about the deliciously descending tone of the mysterious blond's voice; it was like a siren's song, fatally intriguing, ominously lascivious. He still had hope though, he opened his mouth to say something, something harsh, something poisonously raw, but his words faded away inside his mouth as the blond leaned in, his full and glossy lips almost grazing Aomine's ear, the urgent breath on his sensitive skin, the heat of the other's body and the light, dizzyingly floral perfume (was it lavender? Jasmine?),

"But you see... _I_ like it rough."

That was how each and every defence of Aomine Daiki inauspiciously fell that night.


	2. Chapter 2

When he woke up the next day, Aomine was alone. The blond beauty had apparently long left the love hotel, luckily, fully aware of his intoxication, Aomine had reserved the room for a whole day, so he didn't have to hurry. He was going to write it off as yet another one night stand with a person he did not even know the name of – not that he did it often but it happened sometimes – however only minutes later he found a stylish white business card with golden inked letters that read "Kise Ryouta" and a phone number underneath alongside an email address.

Not that he had any interest in calling the man, still for some reason, after inspecting the card as though it was a piece of lethal explosive, instead of throwing it away he decided to put it inside his blazer's inner pocket. Was it on a whim? Was it on a suspicion? Was it due to the still influential afterglow of the sensational sex he had the night before? He did not know, he did not even pause to inquire.

His next two days and nights were spent drinking at home, going through paperwork like a staunch believer studying their holy text, trying to find anything that might help turn the case around. It was futile and hopeless, he knew, but there was nothing else he could do; he was on an unofficial suspension of sorts and had to find a healthy way to direct his accumulating dissatisfaction rather than drinking himself to oblivion or randomly having one night stands with complete strangers. By the third morning he had gone through all the paperwork twice to have found, as expected, nothing. It was such a miserable loss despite being accurately predicted that he needed a fresh breath of air desperately.

It was a day after Kuroko's release from the hospital. He truthfully wanted to see his friend but was unsure how it would affect his own psyche; he was scared of his own hot fiery fury, the way he pummelled Haizaki so forcefully, breaking the guy's jaw thoroughly after the criminal had almost killed Kuroko... He still remembered his own murderous anger at the time. He was afraid of seeing his friend shaken and he was equally afraid of descending into some unholy rage and do something very stupid. Ever stupider than what he already had done. Momoi, who normally kept him on a leash at times like this, was too busy to take care of him now, in any case he could not rely on her again and again...

Still, hearing at least the good news and Kuroko's state would be godsend. So he took a shower, wore a light blue button up alongside a new pair of navy blue jeans and his good old leather jacket, and drove to the office.

The moment he entered to the headquarters of the Organised Crime Control Bureau, the stares started. He had always been well-known since his cadet days, for graduating with the highest ever achieved physical aptitude results, for having the best arrest record in the history of Tokyo Metropolitan Police, for making it into the much coveted Organised Crime Control Bureau and becoming an inspector at a young age, for being constantly wooed by other prestigious sections, including the Rapid Reaction Units, whose head in Tokyo has been in pursuit of getting Aomine to transfer since the officer ever made it into the Organised Crime branch... Aomine had always had to endure stares of idolisation or envy, often with a layer apprehension at his unabashed vanity; that day however, the stares he faced were completely of another kind. There was a specific ilk of disdain and shock, an apparent disappointment on everyone's faces, even the security guards at the entrance regarded him as such. A distinct pity, he felt in their gazes and a heaviness fell onto him, even breathing was barely endurable till he made it to his own desk on the third floor and saw Kagami trying to put together paperwork. The redhead had always been terrible at it, not that Aomine was any more talented. They always pushed the paperwork to Sakurai who seemed to excel at that particular task.

"Oi."

"Huh? Aomine?!"

"What's up? Surprised to see me?"

"Kind of. I thought you were suspended?"

"Not official yet. Nothing is official. Hell, I could be fired too."

"Don't be ridiculous. As much as I hate to say it, you are... pretty good for them to fire."

"_Pretty good_? I am the best. Well, except in this one. Even I can't deny that I screwed up I guess..."

"Don't say that... Like... I am grateful, you know. Not that you screwed up... but I mean, you literally saved Kuroko's life."

"Yeah and botched the whole operation as well... How is Tetsu doing by the way? He is discharged right?"

"Yeah. He is fine, in the sense that there is no permanent physical damage. Stab wound was shallow and a few ribs broken during the altercation. But he is a little traumatised. He also feels like shit because of you know... how it will affect your career and all and the mistake he did. He blames himself I think..."

"Jeez, tell the idiot to worry about himself. Who is he to think that he has the luxury to worry about my ass?!"

Kagami chuckled at that,

"Kind of already told him that. You know, I am not kidding when I say I am grateful... I owe you one."

Aomine rose an eyebrow in mock-serious intimidation,

"You do realise that before he was your... 'partner', he was my friend. He _is_ my friend. So shut up."

"Daiki."

The third voice that cut through their atmosphere as though the air in the room was tangible. This voice was nothing like his own or Kagami's, not so low or boisterous but hauntingly calm, and the way his first name was pronounced so nonchalantly yet at the same time like an order... He sighed before he turned his back,

"Akashi."

"It is Deputy Prosecutor-General for you. We are in work hours."

"Yeah, _Deputy Prosecutor-General_. I am kind of suspended, so, I don't think it is my work hours right now."

He had no room to be cocky about it but he could not help it when facing Akashi, who seemed perfectly unperturbed at the inspector's arrogance,

"Exactly because you are on unofficial suspension that you should not be here and thus do not need to call me, anything. Why are you here?"

"I just came... to see Kagami."

"Taiga? How pitiful of you to even try to lie to me. If you wanted to know about Tetsuya's state, you could call him directly. Or better yet visit him. Same is true for Satsuki. Also, you should not be here, especially now."

"Why?"

"Because we have Haizaki Shuugo in the building right now. We are seeing what we can do about the situation, not that there is much we can. We are hoping to at least avoid a law suit against the department for misconduct."

"Are you kidding me? We're gonna be paying that fucking scum? He deserves to be behind the bars."

"We were about to achieve that, if you recall, until you quite spectacularly destroyed any and all chances of it succeeding as well as breaking his jaw."

Before he could control it, Aomine's temperature sky-rocketed and he yelled,

"It was Tetsu! He threatened to _kill_ Tetsu! He would do it too, if I didn't intervene, you know that. So What? What in the hell were you expecting me to do? Perhaps you shouldn't have chosen him as the bait? Huh? What are you gonna say about that?"

Akashi gave a solemn look but there was pure spite in his gaze, though his silence seemed to only further infuriate Aomine,

"Or perhaps you wanted me to let him kill Tetsu so that you could try him for murder and have solid evidence to go with your prosecution?! Tetsu was going to die Akashi. That bastard literally restrained him, I could not see anything from my vantage point. The dirtbag had a knife on him. Even during altercation he managed to stab Tetsuya!"

"Carrying a knife is not necessarily against the law nor is using it when you are being assaulted. You had never seen the weapon but only jumped in because Tetsuya had felt it and thought it was a gun, which it was _not_. Tetsuya's initial statement also suggested there was a gun, but there was none, he was mistaken. A false accusation by a police officer. Another police officer assaulting a suspect based on that false accusation. Your series of conjectures and opinions do not change the fact that it was you who first attacked Haizaki and Tetsuya was stabbed only after that and Haizaki's use of his knife _after_ being assaulted counts as self-defence."

"I am talking about Tetsu here! Did you see his face? No. But I saw it. I saw it that moment he felt the bastard was carrying something, was on top of him, the moment he whispered desperately 'you have a gun' and hearing that on the comm, knowing that for weeks the bastard had threatened Tetsu multiple times, what just what were you expecting me–"

"Daiki. Are you trying to tell me that you somehow care more about Tetsuya than I do?"

Aomine swallowed, suddenly aware of the position he put them in. Overprotective habits of Akashi Seijuurou towards all in the police force and prosecutor's office were well-known, even more so with his old mates, and even though Aomine had perhaps spent more time with Kuroko, Akashi had always been the one closer in terms of mutual interests and character. The two were so close, before Kuroko was involved with Kagami there had even been rumours that he had dated Akashi. But before Aomine could answer, or try to even answer, Akashi continued,

"If you think that, then you are sorely mistaken. Do also think about this: Haizaki Shuugo kills people, directly _and_ indirectly. He has caused the death of many. You saved your friend, our friend, I am thankful for that as a friend, but in exchange for how many lives? How many lives will Haizaki Shuugo take before we capture him from this point on?"

Aomine felt pinned down in his spot and a tangible coldness sink in his stomach, his trachea closing in itself and suddenly breathing became painful, the guilt gripped his insides in a suffocating and frigid embrace... When he managed to utter the words that were screaming in his subconscious, there was a tinge of fear and hesitance in each syllable,

"Are you saying those lives will be on me?"

Akashi sighed, his piercing gaze and commanding voice softened,

"No. I am not. But I am saying that you will feel the burden of those lives. Tetsuya will feel it too. So be a little bit more thoughtful the next time. For your own good too. Also, I did not order him to be the bait. You do know it was your Lieutenant's decision."

"Even Riko wouldn't do anything without your approval, despite how crazy she is... Even the Superintendent–"

"Even the Superintendent, what?"

If Aomine had thought his life could not get any worse the moment he had encountered Akashi that day of all days, he had been obviously mistaken. He cleared his throat and lowered his tone in respect as much as he could,

"Sir."

Superintendent Nijimura Shuuzou, director of TMDP Organised Crime Control Bureau, did not even bat an eyelash to the rogue prodigy as he moved passed him and paused in front of Akashi,

"Momoi-san has got him to agree to your proposal. There will not be any law suits against the department and in turn we will drop the threat charges. Can we talk outside? Five minutes."

"Certainly."

As the Superintendent left, Aomine gave a sigh of relief. He had a more brotherly and perhaps mentor-like relationship with the man rather than a rigid hierarchy, regardless, except Akashi, this was the only other person who could still intimidate Aomine at times. As he watched his superior's back in distance, he murmured more to himself than Akashi,

"He is upset..."

"Yes. He is. He should be."

Aomine sighed, resigned to the accusation but still in need of some sort of confirmation of the opposite, even though it felt stupid and childish to wish so.

"So you are in the same opinion as him? About me?"

"Daiki, I knew you were not cut out for law and order. You are too careless, too impulsive, too overprotective of your dear ones to be a hallmark of justice. But I am the opposite of that. You are a perfect tool for me to use, thus I asked you to join to the Organised Crime Unit, because they needed you. I thought and still think that you are useful, so please do not disappoint me in that matter."

Akashi walked away as soon as he finished his sentence, not giving any chance for a comment or response; like always, determined to be the one to say the final words.

"That was harsh..." Kagami mumbled from his seat and Aomine realised the hurt in his palms – he had been holding his hands in so tight fists that little red crescents pulsing with pain had appeared due to his nails digging into his palms. He inhaled and exhaled deeply for once and without saying anything to Kagami made a beeline for the exit.

He had to get out of here. Get out of here fast, before coming across Haizaki or anybody else that could lead him to lose himself to the rage that wreaked havoc inside him.

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The reason why he had chosen the specific host-slash-hostess bar a few days ago for a drink was precisely because it was the closest place to drink from his home; there had been no other reason. Yet he was not so sure if he went there back again that night after visiting the office, because of that specific reason alone. Nevertheless, he did not want to think about the reason why he went there; too many thoughts seethed in his mind already. Instead he ordered a scotch and started sipping it lazily and by an hour before midnight, the mysterious blond whose name he now knew to be 'Kise Ryouta' hopped onto the bar stool near him.

"Missed me?"

"Fuck off."

"Ouch. And here I thought you came for more?"

"I just needed a drink."

"And you somehow specifically chose the bar where you picked up a gorgeous young man just three days ago?"

"This bar is the one closest to my place."

"Oh, should I assume you're planning to take me home then?"

Aomine sighed – and passingly thought that he had been sighing his life away the whole goddamn day like an old man. He had to admit the blond had been one of the most amazing fucks of his life (_hell_, if he had to be honest, outright the most amazing one), but he spoke too cheerfully for Aomine's taste and depressed state and talked too much in the first place.

"I said, _fuck off_."

"You are even grumpier today, I never thought this would be possible. You outdid yourself, wow. What are you, 'master of grouch'?"

"Guess we never cease to surprise each other, like how I'm surprised that you are still sitting near me. I think I told you to–"

"'_Fuck off_', as you put so eloquently – why don't you try that?"

"Try what?"

"Fuck _me_ off out of your way?"

Aomine's eyes widened in disbelief, truthfully not expecting the raw invitation that was pronounced so nonchalantly. His body temperature rose in tandem with each lustful syllable that came out of the blond's pretty little mouth. He had certainly regarded the previous affair as a one night stand and the prospect of it turning into something else had never occurred to him. Add to that how the mercurial swings of Kise were so alien to him – one moment childishly playful, the next confidently wanton, Aomine was simply dumbfounded... a little. So when he spoke next, his query and curiosity were sincere,

"You want another round?"

"I wouldn't say 'no' to a couple more actually."

"Do you seriously have a police fetish or something?"

The blond moved away slightly and sized up Aomine cheekily, for a moment pursing his lips on one side as if considering a tough riddle, then grinned large and impish, his gaze openly scheming,

"Maybe I do. Not like it will hurt you. You did enjoy yourself quite a bit last time. And I must add, by the end, you had the most graceful and relaxed smile on your face; it obviously helped you relieve the stress."

Aomine chose to keep silent at that, a little vexed at the idea of lying just in case it could be read, nonetheless defiant about accepting the fact (that _yes_, he had enjoyed himself and relaxed a lot; 'quite a bit' was an understatement actually).

"Why?"

"Why _not_?"

Aomine's eyebrows furrowed in question and stare turned to scrutinise the host whose golden eyes peered as mischievously as ever and faint smile lethal and promising; how could one manage to look so threateningly enticing with such innocent facial features?

More importantly: why did this person insist on him? Could there be any specific reason? His mind often wandered to paranoia quickly, an occupational hazard, it was about to again when Kise leaned into him, his long fingers brushing Aomine's chest over the cloth – there was something about the blond's touch, Aomine decided then, it was electric, rousing all the nerves in Aomine's body to respond eagerly.

It was like the paralysing spell of a witch and if Aomine believed in such things, he would swear to God that Kise was one.

"You are over-thinking this Aominecchi. You are hot and I like it. It is that simple. I sleep through the day and spend almost all my time here at night. Do you see the kinds of women and men who come here? Look around you. Then think of yourself. It is not much of a surprise that I am hitting on you, you would realise. Plus you don't seem to be the clingy type, which is a huge bonus for me. Trust me on that: it _is_ a big incentive. You would be shocked at how many creepy stalkers I have to deal with, women and men."

As he finished his words, still leaning onto Aomine, one elbow on the bar counter, the other arm stretched and fingertips lazily drawing circles on Aomine's chest, Kise winked. The wink itself was almost childish, like a small child's cheeky gesture after telling a particularly stupid joke. Aomine regarded him intently then, captivated by such effervescent swings and naïve gestures as much as the lascivious advances of the blond. The pale fingers fell down his chest to his waist and then lost contact as Kise stood up,

"I will be wrapping up in fifteen. Wait for me, will you?"

He did not even bother to wait for an answer, simply winked before turning away, confidently aware of his effect... and Aomine could not manage to tear his eyes away as the host hurried over to another corner of the bar, towards a table of various middle aged female guests.

If Kise Ryouta looked stunning from the front, he looked utterly tempting from behind.

So perhaps it was not a bad idea. Perhaps he indeed needed this kind of 'stress-relief' as Kise had put it the last time. If both parties agreed, after all, what was the harm?

None, as long as he did not spill it to Momoi, the guardian surrogate sister of sorts who surely was not judgemental but overtly protective at times.

Thus Aomine spent the next twenty minutes or so lazily sipping from his scotch as he waited for Kise to finish his shift.

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When he woke up in a room in the same hotel he had used with Kise just a few days ago, the sun was equally bright and his bed was equally lonely; however, there was no card this time and instead the noise of running water came from the bathroom alongside a joyful serenade... that scratched Aomine's ears like the cacophony of a dozen kittens mewling.

He closed his eyes and assayed his options for a bit. He was not particularly sure if he wanted to face Kise in the 'morning-after' but he was also too tired to leave then, plus the action could be deemed as running away, which kind of irritated him and itched on his overgrown pride that had already taken more than enough hits in the recent days. So rather than scurrying out, he stood up, ensured to have at least boxers on before lazily starting to brew himself a cup of coffee with the shabby coffee maker that was standard in every room of the hotel. It was going to have to do.

Just when he had poured his coffee and was about to handle the cup, a pale hand slightly smaller than his but of similarly strong grip, grasped the white, plain porcelain cup. Aomine gave an ired look at Kise as the blond first closed his eyes and smelled the coffee,

"Smells okay. I hadn't realised they had coffee makers in the rooms."

"I made that for myself you know."

"Yeah," Kise mumbled before taking a sip from the coffee, "so? It doesn't taste good by the way."

Aomine furrowed his brows, easily annoyed by the blond's childish antics though he couldn't help his eyes wander a little over his half naked body. Kise was standing there with a white towel loosely wrapped around his waist, hair dripping wet, chest and waist bare and full of little purplish carvings of Aomine's very own fangs. He shook his head very slightly to scatter away the whispers of desire and turned to brew another cup, Kise started then though, his voice as cheeky as ever,

"You know... This coffee _reeeally_ sucks."

"You don't have to drink it, you goddamn thief."

"_You_ don't have to either, because _I_ could buy you coffee?"

"No, thanks."

"How about I add a brunch as well to it? Why do you drink coffee so early in the morning anyway? So very American-Cop-Drama of you!"

"I am not into dates and coffee is good in the mornings. What is more bizarre is you drinking it. Daring to steal mine is a capital offence in itself."

"Come on. It is not _really_ a date. I just hate eating alone and today is my day off, won't you join and keep me company as I eat? I am really hungry. Also, I just like imitating people at times, so I wanted to try the coffee. I don't even drink it much to be honest."

"Whatever."

"Come on? I'll get you doughnuts too, if you want to complete that American buddy-cop image?"

Aomine raised an eyebrow, clearly ired but Kise only smiled sheepishly in return,

"Okay, not buddy-cop but badass-cop image?"

Aomine sighed in exasperation and opened his mouth ready to reject once again and more firmly this time, but as Kise lips moved to a particular gesture, Aomine's eyes simply widened in surprise. Kise was pouting peculiarly and unabashedly and Aomine was confused,

"Are you," he started, still in disbelief at the childish expression of Kise, "actually... pouting?"

"So?"

"Dear Lord. How old are you? Fuck, don't tell me you are underage."

Kise's lips dissolved into a laughter then,

"Haha... Jeez, Aominecchi, I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was an insult you stupid blond."

"Nah, it was your tsundere subconscious trying to compliment me subtly. Just how you noted my blondness now, probably another slip signalling your preference of blonds? Hm?"

After a second of irrepressible gaping at Kise's ridiculous vainglory, Aomine scowled sourly but the host did not even flinch under the hostile gaze directed at him,

"Come on, just as I was sure you definitely swung my way, I am sure you _definitely_ are not one to reject free food."

There was some honest truth in that statement, Aomine had to admit internally, and when he took a sip out of the cup that Kise offered back to him, tasting the brown liquid that was anything but coffee, he agreed without changing his annoyed expression. Because honestly, getting the blond treat him to breakfast (or brunch, was it?) would be a fitting payback for enduring all his silly crap so early in the morning – or rather noon, now that he glanced at the clock for a second there, but it _did_ feel like early morning.

"Yeah. You are definitely buying me food."

Kise smiled, a curious mix of mischief and naïve excitement, and Aomine's intuition was irked – there was something about Kise Ryouta... something deeply mysterious yet sincere, assuredly cheeky yet serious.

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As he made a beeline to the bistro where they were supposed to have their brunch, he was instead dragged to a nearby clothing store first:

"Your clothes smell booze, so do mine."

Apparently Kise Ryouta minded it a lot, Aomine did not so much and it wasn't as if they stank particularly, but he relented anyway, for the idea of refusing such common courtesy, he felt, would make him seem cheap. Perhaps he _was_ cheap a little, or rather indifferent, but he did not want to stand out as such near the Eros in human form walking amongst the mortal men, after all. He paid for his own clothes though, as expected; buying clothes was different than buying food for another. Something Momoi had thankfully taught him early on in his life. The place they had brunch was quite lovely and while it was too posh for his style, the food was delicious and he was not the one paying. Kise was a nice person to chat, he knew how to navigate through subjects, never pushing too hard, never letting too loose, a masterful conversationalist, not that it was any surprise; the man's job was literally talk people into drinking and spending more and more.

He had planned to leave Kise right after the brunch but somehow he found himself walking around the neighbourhood with the blond instead in the calm of the Spring afternoons. When he realised how his initial plan had become undone, for a second he felt like returning to that initial plan, but they were in the middle of a conversation and he was a little bit curious about the specific story Kise was recalling then, about how once as a teenage model he had worked with Horikita Mai, Aomine's own personal goddess during his lonely and unbearably 'angst-y' high school years. So he did not take his leave and silently continued listening.

The second time during that day, he realised that he had spent just too much time with the blond than he had intended was when they came across the asphalt streetball court a couple of blocks away from his own neighbourhood. Some kids were playing, his eyes naturally wandered to the the ball and them; they were having so much fun despite how poorly they played.

Was there ever a time like that in his life?

That he enjoyed something so much despite failing at it miserably?

He could not remember. Not for basketball, nor for being in the force. It was not as if he chose both because he had been amazingly talented in them, still all these things he was truly interested in turned out to be things he was spectacularly skilled in. Sure, there was a time he was an amateur and failed more than he did now, never so pitifully talentless though. Could he savour his achievements better if he had been? Could he perhaps be more tenacious and hard-working if he had been? Perhaps, blunders like the one he just had would not terrify and shake him so much inside, if he had faced more of them in the past? Was his humongous self-esteem in reality too fragile, for lacking a history of trial-and-error? Kuroko always said that one learnt the most from their defeats and Aomine had only so very few of them.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kise's voice – for once, he did not sound playful but calmly interested,

"You like basketball?"

Aomine snickered at the question and though his eyes concentrated on a particularly weak kid desperately trying a three-pointer (of sorts – because the court was damn tiny anyway) only to fail again, he could see from his peripheral Kise's golden orbs focusing on him instead, scrutinising and intrigued,

"Hmm... kind of."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I almost became a professional player."

Kise chocked on the ice tea he was drinking then,

"And that's just '_kind of_' for you?"

He couldn't help smiling at the blond's bewildered tone and somehow Kise seemed to be almost mesmerised then,

"Um... Want to play with me?"

"With you? Basketball? Do you even play basketball?"

"Nope. Not really. I tried it once in middle school and watched a few games later so I guess I know the basics."

"And you suddenly want to play with me after you heard I almost became professional at it?"

"Yes. You wouldn't believe, probably, but Aominecchi I can actually master any physical activity incredibly fast. So I should be good."

"You actually think you will be able to master this too? That you will be 'good' against me?"

Kise beamed, unflinching,

"Yeah, sure. Happened with all other sports I tried. In fact that one time I tried, I was able to match most players of our school's team."

"Well, Kise Ryouta," Aomine started as he moved towards the entrance of the shabby court, rolling up his sleeves slowly, "you have never faced Aomine Daiki on the court. Let's see if you're just a pretty boy talkin' big or can you actually deliver."

What Aomine did not see was the pair of cheerfully alight golden orbs behind him. He realised them just two hours later though, when they were both breathing hard (he was much less so than Kise Ryouta, _the host extraordinaire_ and apparently _basketball-loser extraordinaire_ as well now).

"One... more time, one more," Kise started. His face was red, his chest moved so fast as if he was still running, his voice was hardly intelligible. He was obviously consumed, thoroughly.

"No way. You're spent."

"Come on Aominecchi!"

"I told you to stop calling me with that dumb nickname."

"Should I call you, Officer Aomine Daiki who stole a basketball from middle school kids?"

"I did not steal it. I asked them to lend it to me."

Kise snorted,

"_Come oooon_... One more."

"No. Damn I sweated again."

"So what, you can shower. Plus, since you are already all hot and sweaty, why not another round? Or perhaps you are looking for another round of something else?"

A wink. A goddamn wink despite his laboured breathing and sweaty mess of a state. Aomine was left speechless though his lips curved into a grin unconsciously at the ridiculous enthusiasm of the other,

"Look pretty boy, I ain't gonna play you when you suck so much. And I'm not planning to fuck you again."

"Oh is that so? You told me you've been playing since you were a child right? You almost became a professional at it. So do tell me, have you ever seen anyone learn as fast as I did?"

Aomine rose an eyebrow and thought for a second, it was simply for show – he already knew the answer. _That damn host_.

_Yes_, so Aomine had never seen somebody who excelled so quickly in every little move he learnt. It was irritating and exhilarating at the same time.

"So, what? You still suck against me."

"It is acceleration versus constant velocity Aominecchi! I'm increasing. I'll catch up."

"Yeah, yeah, sure."

"Wow, now we at least know that you suck at sarcastic tone. So you really will not play any more, will you?"

"No..." Aomine said, reclining towards the fence that surrounded the court and that is when he finally became fully aware that it had become evening. When had the sun set? He had no idea. A hand reached for him and out of reflex he caught it up in the air. The face in front of him, as innocent and pretty like a youth's yet the subtle details of his features seductively mature and alluringly lustful, a small smile tugged to those lips baneful, the pale wrist moved on an angle and Kise grasped the dark wrist of the hand holding his calmly. He had not even flinched at Aomine's sudden move. As Aomine released his grip, pale long fingers started climbing up his wrist to his bare forearm, his sleeves already rolled above his elbow, then from his clothed shoulder to sweaty neck up to his chin. Kise cupped his cheek, sweetly and tenderly; the touch was so foreign to Aomine... He had been kissed and bit and sucked and hit, but never caressed so lightly, as if he was something fragile.

Normally it would make him mad but then, somewhere deep inside Aomine truly felt fragile these days. He had been feeling so since the incident with Haizaki and not confessing the fact even to himself did not change the reality. He was tired. He felt frail and that was terrifying in itself.

"Why didn't you become a professional basketball player? You could have made it big. You are damn talented. You love the sport."

Aomine's gaze only then wandered somewhere, off in the distant horizon, to flickering lights of the city,

"It is good to do something you love professionally but sometimes it can cause you to hate it as well."

"Hmm... I think I kind of understand. Well, I bet you are a great cop anyway."

He unintentionally snickered at the comment, as if his subconscious had wanted to move his facial muscles and reveal his current dissatisfaction with himself regarding his profession through that dry sound. He waited for Kise to ask more, to dig up more, then he could push the blond, slap that ridiculously tender touch away, tear down the unnecessarily sentimental mood, turn back and leave and never ever see Kise Ryouta, the bubbly blond host again... However, Kise simply repeated in a softer, quieter voice, gently reassuring and doubtlessly believing,

"I am sure you are a great cop."

His eyes were pulled towards the golden gaze of his company then and just how beautifully they shone under the dirty street-lights – that should not have been the case. There was no reason for them to glitter like that in the night but they did, he could swear they did. Aomine was intrigued and as if to find something, he searched on the other's eyes, lips, cheeks, chin... but he found nothing other than striking allure and mystery in those gleaming orbs, refined facial features and then the blond spoke, a tone so deliciously wicked that it was a velvet touch, cunning invitation to Aomine's sudden desire,

"Now... Are you _really _certain that you do not want to spend another night with me?"

.

.

.

.

* * *

(_**A/N:** So I hope this gave a bit of a background and also some ideas about the plot? By the way, I played around with the ages in this fic a bit. Aomine, Kise, Kagami, Kuroko, and Momoi are around 27-28, whereas Akashi is 30 and Nijimura is 32. More side characters will make appearances because plot requires it but this is mostly an aokise story._)


	3. Chapter 3

Two days after his impromptu date with Kise the host, he was notified of his now official one month long suspension. If he had to be honest, he was relieved. On more than one occasion till he got the news, he had thought of leaving the force or that he would be asked to do so; the idea had been both relieving and burdening but once he knew his actual punishment, he felt some semblance of a true relief.

He would have another chance.

Could he make use of it though? Or was it already too late?

Deep down he knew his character was easily influenced by defeat, perhaps mainly because he knew no defeat in general for so long, thus the bitter taste left him dumbfounded. He did not want to give up nor did he question his abilities but the fact that he lost, and lost so miserably too, a despicable forfeit rather than a proud fall after a fair fight – it simply shocked the enormous pride he had built over the years of excellence and thought to be indestructible.

He would fall into his dooming cycle of brooding if it wasn't for Kise, who for some reason was quite smitten with him. He thought it was perhaps his prowess in bed, but then it seemed to him that Kise never had any issues finding any and all kinds of lovers; whenever he went to the bar, he found the blond encircled by various men or women, not just the patrons but the staff as well doted and wooed him like lovestruck teenagers. Surely the host was getting similarly extravagant attention outside the bar as well. After all, Kise was gorgeous and enticing, there was no denying that, more importantly he knew how to persuade someone, how to draw them to himself, this Aomine knew very well, much intimately.

So somehow, in the next two weeks Aomine found himself dropping by to the bar more often and near the time when Kise's shift ended, they would drink together and make small talk then make their way to the nearest love hotel which they had frequented since that first fateful night.

Kise was right when he had declared that sex was amazing at curing oppressive stress; after every night in the blond's arms, Aomine found his muscles sore and his heart lighter. Then there would be days where he would wake up either to Kise's awful singing in the shower or soft snores near him; they spent those 'morning-after's together, eating or talking or playing basketball, if Kise had some time off. Being one of solitude, Aomine was initially ired with the way Kise was able to drag him around so skilfully, always knowing just what would allure him, but eventually he learnt to let himself be swept along, for it was not as if he truly minded the host's company and any time he spent alone was time spent in agony. Those "_it's not really a date_"s per Kise's declaration often ended in the love hotel as well and Aomine became insatiable of other's lustful advances though he never admitted it to Kise. Casual sex was nothing new for Aomine but he had never experienced it like this, more than a passing one night stand, it felt like a very stable and mutually satisfying friends with benefits kind of arrangement as a natural comfort established itself securely between them for unfathomable reasons.

It seemed as though the blond's touch was astonishing, healing almost, despite how their romps were rough and scorching, rarely any tender touch slipped in. The painfully eager and lecherously aggressive energy in bed was especially in contrast to how carelessly soft Kise could be during the day or when they were drinking at the bar. Once Aomine even wondered if Kise was capable of any sexual intimacy that was not urgent and forceful.

Then in the third week of his suspension, by a rather tragic twist of fate he discovered how there were actually a myriad ways Kise's touch was healing and how the sensuality the blond offered was not limited to wanton transgressions and aching caresses.

Almost three weeks he had spent without a single thought of Haizaki popping up in his mind, his failure shrouded perfectly and pushed to the very back of his consciousness, worries and concerns had fled silently and his days and nights were filled with more mundane interests and pleasures. Then came that day, that day in the third week of his suspension, a rather sunny morning, he turned to the third page of the newspaper he was reading while having breakfast at home and found the news. It was a single paragraph, something nobody seemed to care, at the very bottom left corner of the page; a child's face, a boy as innocent looking as any other 14 years old would. He was dead. Drug overdose. He was bullied they said. The school he went, the neighbourhood he lived, his family's financial background that allowed him excessive money and absence of true care... It all matched. It was their turf, where they sold the goods to anyone who paid.

"_You saved your friend, our friend, I am thankful for that as a friend, but in exchange for how many lives? How many lives will Haizaki Shuugo take before we capture him from this point on?"_

He swallowed on nothing and heaviness he knew very well from weeks ago settled in the pit of his stomach once again. He could not eat anything any more, strutted to his bedroom and lay down on the bed for the whole day, doing nothing, saying nothing, trying his best to think and feel _nothing_; wrapped himself within a cocoon of silent dread.

Near midnight his phone rang and at first he ignored it but after perhaps a dozen rings, he relented, comprehending that whoever was calling was not going to stop without an answer.

"Aominecchi? You're not coming tonight? Don't tell me you missed fooling around with girls and letting me off for a busty babe? I could crossdress you know, I make one hell of a gal."

"Just leave me alone tonight Kise..."

He was surprised at the evident fatigue and agony in his own voice; he had not spoken a single word the whole day, he had not cried, he had not shouted, why was it so hoarse and tired? Was his voice mirroring the recesses of his soul?

A pause, it seemed as though Kise was pondering, then he spoke, a voice devoid of any mischief and instead unabashedly caring, calm and steady,

"You tell me to leave you alone but when you sound like that it is hard to do so."

What could he give as an answer to that? He did not even truly understand the sentiment or rationale behind it. Why did Kise insist so much on him? Despite all the nasty words and open hostility? Was the man a masochist? Or perhaps Kise was falling for him? Would not be the first person he slept with ending up like that though he had never regarded Kise to be the clingy lovestruck type, even when the blond had managed to find a way for a subtle presence in his life in the recent weeks... He sighed and was about to crudely refuse when he heard Kise's voice again, as sweet as ever but suddenly tinged with a profound sadness,

"Let me... I promise you I will make your night better."

"I am not interested in fucking right now."

"I know, I will give you something better."

"I am not coming."

"Then can I come?"

There was no reason to accept it and every reason to reject it, especially considering how Kise coming to his apartment would indicate a whole new level of intimacy. Yet after a pause he lazily muttered his address anyway. Thoughtlessly. Without considering cons or pros at all. Perhaps, a part of his heart wanted company; perhaps, even though he isolated himself whenever he was faced with a predicament, something inside him wished for the presence of another, to be aided subtly, to be chased after... It was shameful to admit and impossible for his massive ego to accept but his mind was too tired to dwell on such feeble matters; he shook off the bits of self-reflection and returned his gaze to the ceiling. Why was it so hard to say 'no' to Kise, anyway?

Then Kise came, less than an hour later. They said nothing at first, Aomine making his way to his room, Kise following, and then they lay down on the bed side by side, silently watching the ceiling as if it was a mesmerising night sky; though the action was exactly the same as what he did the whole day, somehow Aomine felt his chest to not tighten so cruelly, the scent of citrus mingled with alcohol that spread around from Kise's skin and clothes soothed Aomine in enigmatic ways, the silent breathing akin to a holy chant for peace and deliverance... He found himself floating in a placid daze.

Then, some time later, god know how long, for a second Kise stood up and opened the window a little, the sound of calm rain slowly conquered the otherwise hushed room, then when he lay again, his fingers brushed Aomine's arm so slightly... He turned, did not make a single noise, did not utter a single word but watched Aomine lying on the bed seemingly in deep thought but both knew very well at that moment that Aomine was not thinking anything at all. In fact, his incredible focus was to deliberately force himself not to think. It had been so the whole day.

Then another caring brush of fingers, certainly deliberate this time.

Then another.

Then Aomine's gaze wandered over to the body near him.

He was not sure, when did his eyes close or when did his body lean in to his bed partner's? He was not sure, when did Kise start kissing him so chastely or when did Kise start embracing him so softly as if he was easily breakable? He was not sure, when did he strip his clothing or when did he strip Kise out of his? He was not sure, how did it begin?

But it began and then advanced, not through fierce explosions of pain and pleasure like in their previous romps, but with slow and serene waves of want and comfort, soon though the bliss flooded their flesh and hearts, and Aomine learnt just how well Kise could comfort one with his body and soul, and it did not have to be through a consuming fire; a calming rain was needed there and then and he was blessed.

He felt his skin, bones, muscles, his very being – physical and metaphysical – liberated, meticulously and gently set free from the bondage of despair.

When he woke up the next day, the blond was nowhere to be found and for a moment there he even thought that perhaps he had imagined things, perhaps it had been a dream. But the moment he entered the living room, he found Kise, clad barely in his dress shirt from last night fully unbuttoned and a clean pair of boxers that definitely belonged to Aomine. He was humming a soothing tune – no singing and thanks God for that – and brewing coffee.

"I thought you did not like coffee much?"

"Huh? Ah, mornin'. I am still a little sleepy, thought I could use it."

There were two cups on the counter though, Aomine rose an eyebrow, not in mock inquiry but genuine surprise,

"Is that... for me?"

"Well, I stole yours once after all. It is only fair if I paid back."

"I thought you said that the fries I stole from your plate that day during brunch counted as the payback?"

"I guess I am just generous?"

The blond offered the cup, a graceful and almost grateful smile on his face and Aomine could not decipher it, for the love of God, if there was anyone to be grateful in the room, it was himself and the thought and the realisation of this was enough to embarrass him and he did not remember being embarrassed in years... Not that he showed it, kept his cheeks' dark colour intact, not allowing any invasion of any silly blush. He had not been target of such subtle and nonchalant compassion by anyone but Momoi, thus it was an experience that caught him unready but _hell_, he was not going to expose that bit.

Kise Ryouta was a force of nature, a tempest of unknown emotions and unexpected discoveries that rampaged through his life. Somehow, in the aftermath, he felt tranquil and content than ravaged or ired.

"Mmm..."

"It's good?"

"Obviously. My coffee-maker is brand new. Do you know how expensive it is?"

"Jeez, it wouldn't hurt you to commend me Aominecchi..."

"You literally just push the button."

Kise pouted childishly though the skin near his eyes crinkled slightly, his gaze doubtlessly happy, Aomine simply rolled his eyes in mock exasperation and repeated,

"You. Just. Push. The. Button. That's it. That's all."

"Fine, fine. Your coffee-maker is awesome. And to use it one just has to press a single button. I get it. I concur."

Aomine chuckled and Kise's eyes widened in partial surprise and partial delight which brought Aomine's chuckling to an abrupt stopped, becoming a little puzzled himself,

"What?"

"Nothing... I guess... I better get dressed. I have to leave after the coffee. Too many things to do today!"

"Hmm... Kise, when does your shift finish tonight?"

"Oh, you can never have enough of me, can you?"

Kise's wiggling eyebrows and smug smile annoyed him a little truthfully this time,

"Never mind."

"Aw. Aominecchi, it won't kill you to be a little more expressive of your appreciation of me, you know? You don't have to be so tsundere."

Aomine's eyes widened in obvious vexation, Kise smiled, skilfully moving on to another subject – always so crafty to not push too much,

"Well, anyway – I am unfortunately occupied today and tonight with other affairs. I won't be at the bar either. So you don't have to come."

"I wasn't planning to come."

"Yes, _suuure_, I know. Oh come on... don't look at me so poisonously Aominecchi! Won't you miss me at all? I'll miss you."

Aomine shook his head in a certain 'no' and took another sip of the coffee.

It tasted good. Better than when he used the coffee-maker himself actually. So yes, perhaps Kise 'pressed the button' better than him, somehow?

When Kise snickered and sauntered towards the bedroom, Aomine watched him in silence from behind and he could swear, he could swear to God, and to Satsuki, and to Tetsu, and to Mai-chan, to all things and people he found sacred, that there was almost a sadness in the blond's usual wicked and superficial smile as he left Aomine alone in the open kitchen.

Perhaps he was sleepier than he thought he was.


	4. Chapter 4

The next week he spent two days and three nights with Kise, considering his unsocial ways this in itself was quite extraordinary. However, the blond had such a familiar touch, such a natural presence in his life that he did not question the abnormality of the overall situation for his own character and habits. His disrupted peace was returned in double and the world did not seem so bleak suddenly, he felt stronger, better.

It was bizarre and in retrospect very immature (and thus perhaps exactly like him) to stabilise his wavering self-confidence once again by something as frivolous as winning streetball games against Kise, especially considering that the blond was all but a newbie, but _oh boy_, did he look as a newbie? Not at all. Aomine was happily surprised upon realising that he could not afford to hold back or slack off against Kise, _ever_. The blond came at him, like a ferocious animal bent on victory over its prey and Aomine could not fathom, for the love of God, how and why he was not able to intimidate Kise like he could with almost everyone else, bar his few close friends. Beyond not being intimidated, Kise was almost kindled with a consuming fire and possessed by a fierce competitive spirit every time they were on the asphalt court. And he liked it, he liked it so _goddamn_ much. How Kise did not pull any punches and tried his best, how tenacious his confidence was, never yielding, never faltering, and how after every crushing defeat he came for more, nonchalantly confessing that it was part of the game: losing and learning,.

Perhaps Aomine had forgotten how to lose and thus how to learn and thus, _sure_, perhaps he had screwed up royally at work, but he could use it as a chance to learn, he could use it as a chance to make the next stint a greater victory? It was the kind of thinking Aomine was alien to, it fit better to Kuroko and others, it was not as if he was not told these things before either, nevertheless it was altogether different to actually witness it so passionately, albeit in something so mundane.

But then it was an open secret: basketball was _never_ mundane for him. It had never been so. Hence, perhaps it was the newly established line of communication they had that relied on basketball that pulled him so close, so fast, so easily to Kise. Consequently, Momoi lost her crown as the sole person who could drag Aomine to shopping; the blond easily persuaded him to tag along his shopping spree with mere mention of 'basketball shoes' and sure, Aomine had complained – he _had to_, he always felt the urge to – but he came along and was enthusiastic as he advised Kise what to buy, examining whichever new pairs he came across, unsurprisingly buying one pair for himself as well even though he did not really need it in all honesty but _needed_ it all the same.

Just as basketball certainly unveiled various sides of him to Kise – the most painfully obvious being his obsession with basketball shoes, it also bared and shone all sides of Kise that were not apparent otherwise. Gone was the image of suave charmer with terrifyingly alluring smiles and a mysterious crafty demeanour. Kise could rarely contain his emotions, he pouted rather than frowned (and pouted quite spectacularly too), whined like a 5 years old child at times and smiled – smiled a myriad of different smiles, from innocent barely-there smiles to shit-eating cocky grins, snide smirks to surprised giggles, irritatingly loud cackles to teary-eyed laughters... Suggestive remarks and passionate moments here and there did not cease at all but were now flooded with all kinds of other things – strange tics, childish expressions, silly gestures... yet they gave equal satisfaction just as the mind-blowing sex. Okay, perhaps not equal, but similarly intriguing?

All in all, while Aomine refused to admit adamantly, he was aware that his life had gotten a lot more enjoyable with Kise in it and it showed on his mood. Thus when Aomine was finally dragged to a dinner by Momoi in the Friday evening of his last week of suspension, he was relaxed and content at a level which his surrogate sister had apparently not expected. And apparently Momoi did not even have to spend the whole night to make that observation, a ten minute car ride later, right after they were seated and made their orders, she opened it up to discussion – or rather scrutiny:

"You look better than I thought..."

"Huh? What were you expecting?"

"Unshaven, smelly, broody, and terse?"

"Really?"

"You were deservedly shaken..."

"I am not a child and this is not my first screw-up..."

"Yes but no. For both. You are not a child but you act like one. This is not your first screw-up but it is your first significant one. We are not talking about poorly written paperwork here. And..."

Momoi paused a second before utter her last reasoning, "it was related to Tetsu-kun."

Aomine sighed and decided to ignore especially the last part of the comment,

"Yes. But it is not like not shaving or showering will help me. I have to be in top shape to be able to return back to ass-kicking."

"That is good to hear... Really. I mean... I am glad... I am sure Akashi will be glad too."

"Yeah, so glad that he will probably stab my eyes out or something in my first day back."

"Don't be mean. He cares for you. You know that... He just has his own quirky way of caring."

"Well if that's how he shows he cares then he is one emotionally distant bastard, but that's not a surprise, is it?"

"He is emotionally distant but this is not about that. And it is not as if he is not grateful for what you did. I mean, if anything, he is probably as grateful to you as I or Kagamin are."

"I know..."

"So?"

"It is just... I would do it again you know. Even if I knew the results I would do it again."

"I know that but-"

"But it is not good. It's not good Satsuki. It is not the right direction. I had to learn it the hard way and I know that is what Akashi is trying to show me in his roundabout fucked up style but it is just not working..."

"Dai-chan..."

"I will need to fix this Satsuki. I will... I have to. I mean where will it end? What do I do if tomorrow some freak kidnaps you or Tetsu and blackmails me?"

Momoi reached out for the large tan hand and despite her own fingers being almost half the size, she squeezed it hard in her grasp such that Aomine could feel waves of comfort and security seeping into his palm from her skin,

"It is still new. It was not as dangerous before the Organized Crime Unit. You will... grow. We will all grow. And we will all be more careful from now on."

Aomine nodded but the heaviness of the topic constrained his chest too much to bear. To dispel the sudden stress burdening them, he mumbled,

"One wonders how did he manage to get me exactly a month of suspension..."

"Well yours is nothing considering he also arranged Tetsu-kun to take a two month paid leave for psychological therapy."

"You're kidding me?"

"Yeah, I know, it is normally very hard to get those especially when you are not involved in a shooting..."

"Okay so that proves it. He is definitely banging Nijimura."

"Oh come on now, Dai-chan!"

"How else do you explain that much power over the damned police force? I mean he is not supposed to be that influential..."

"Sure it is strange but then it is Akashi we are talking about. He can be influential wherever he wants to be, I think... In any case, I heard Nijimura-san was regularly going to omiais these last two months or so."

"That's probably to throw off people since he's such an eligible bachelor. I am like 70% sure Nijimura swings that way."

Momoi snorted as she took a sip from her glass of wine,

"It is good to know that you are putting your detective skills well into use even during your suspension."

"There is that weird-ass tension when they interact. Don't tell me you never realised it?"

"I don't know... there are just too many rumours about Akashi. There has always been."

"You mean Mayuzumi one?"

"Well that but I don't really believe that one, I mean Mayuzumi senpai is often quite frigid."

"Reo?"

"Reo-nee is flirty, okay, and they were seen shopping and whatnot apparently but they feel more like best girlfriends to me than an actual couple? And like Reo-nee hits on _everyone_ they find pretty so. I was kind of thinking of Furihata when I said that though..."

Aomine choked on his food for a moment there and Momoi offered him the glass of water on her side,

"What the fuck? Furihata?!"

"Yes."

"He is Akashi's secretary!"

"Yeah. Isn't that like really cliché?"

"It is worse than that. Plus the guy is like a scaredy-cat."

"Well he is never scared around me... I think he is just intimidated by Akashi."

"Exactly my point. How is he gonna be his lover if he is constantly like a freaking kitten in front of a lion?"

"That was... actually a very fitting allegory. But I don't know... You know people actually saw them at the cafés and bistros downtown? And opposites attract."

"So? It was probably because Akashi was hungry and since he is all elite and prim and proper he went to have lunch and dragged poor little Furihata alongside for work, since he has to work all fuckin' time. The workaholic overlord."

"Makes sense. And 'poor little Furihata'? He is the same age as you."

"Yeah and would someone who saw us together think so?"

"Touché. But it is only because _you_ look old."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do. You even have wrinkles on your forehead."

Aomine's hand reflexively went to rub the creases on his forehead even as his lips uttered the words unyielding,

"I don't have wrinkles."

Momoi giggled at the sight in front of him and while Aomine scowled for a second his lips eventually settled into a hearty smirk as well.

"I... Ah. Dai-chan, I am really glad you are doing well. And I am sorry, I haven't been around because-"

"Work. I know. Come on... We are not kids anymore. Stop being so fussy. I'm fine."

"Hmm... You being _so fine_ despite your brooding tendencies... Could it be related to the reason why you are wearing a huge hickey on the crook of your neck?"

"Good try. Not gonna get me twice in a row."

"Yeah only that I am not kidding."

"You are."

"Nope. It is quite prominent. You've got a true biter this time, huh?"

Aomine's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mischievous comment and Momoi grinned impishly as Aomine's fingertips reached and moved around his neck, he was about to open his mouth to deny again when he felt a particularly tender point. Right above the end of his collar bone.

_Oh._

_Oh. Shit._

He did not care these kind of things much, well-known for his proclivity for flings and casual sexual encounters, but the fact that he had spent more time with Kise than most such people, except perhaps those rare instances when he actually dated someone (which never lasted more than a month or two either), induced a certain kind of unwillingness to share the knowledge of Kise's existence in his life with others. It would simply lead to too many questions which he was not ready to answer or even bother thinking about. So he chose the easy way out of ignoring the rather intimidating bits of his new liaison and opting to pass it off as yet another one-night stand,

"Uh... well, you know me."

"I know you... So, you being so calm after everything has nothing to do with the peculiar love bite?"

"Nope. Why would it?"

"Well, it normally doesn't but I was kind of hoping that maybe you met someone nice... You rarely ever fill me in on your private life."

"Because there is nothing to talk about. Unless you wanna hear about the sex?"

Momoi scrunched her nose, repulsed, pursing her lips in obvious displeasure,

"What?! You asked for it."

"I did not. You are insufferable you know."

"I am not insufferable, I'm just an acquired taste."

"Well if I could not acquire you even after over two decades, I don't think anyone has any luck..."

Aomine scoffed taking a bite from his food,

"Nah, you love me. Why else would you spend your precious Friday night with me?"

A laughter later Momoi started complaining about her own lacking private life and Aomine listened silently, making a few sarcastic remarks that made her red with childish fury and a few subtly gentle remarks that made her red with tender comfort. They understood each other better than anyone else, including their very own parents, knew when to pull and when to push, got each other's backs covered the best. The perfect trust they had built with each other was something many lacked and Aomine was internally very grateful about it. Considering the emotional roller-coaster he had been riding over the last month or so, he realised the importance of this serene comfort with Momoi much more intimately. He would not admit it though. Not that he had to, the softness of Momoi's gaze, the random and gentle touches now and then, the understanding flow of conversation – she knew, like always, she obviously knew.

After further small talk laced with comfortable and much pleasurable bickering, they had their desserts and she paid for both of them like almost always and Aomine gave her a ride back home, like almost always. In his drive back home, he realised and appreciated indeed just how peaceful he felt. It was a total contrast to how he felt right after the incident or when he was first given the suspension and while he had no doubts that starting work would mean beginning of stress once again, he welcomed it in a way. This serenity had been nice while it lasted.

His serenity for the night was broken spectacularly, however, the moment he reached his door and found one very drunk Kise Ryouta at his door step.

"Kise."

"Aominecchi! You're back! Finally!"

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Um, waiting you?"

"You are drunk."

"No, I am not."

"You smell like booze and are wobbling even though you are sitting."

"First, I am not sitting, I am crouching, different things. Second, I don't smell-" Kise took a whiff of his dress shirt and scrunched his nose, "_okay_, yeah I guess I smell a little like booze and _miiiiight_ be a little drunk."

"A little?"

"Um, more than a little?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was bored."

"What the fuck? Not enough of a reason to crush on my door drunk out of your mind."

"Coooome on! You were the one who rejected me tonight!"

"I told you, I had plans with a friend. Not like I have to spend every free night I have with you."

"You don't have to. But I was still bored. Jeez, you wouldn't believe at the kind of customers I got tonight..."

"Considering you actually got this hammered afterwards I can imagine."

"Yeah and when I came by hoping you were back – and I even brought gifts," at this point Kise started flailing the bottle of wine he had in his hand, "you were not back yet. _Sooo_ I thought... um, well I'll stick around, I got nothing better to do. Right?"

Aomine rolled his eyes,

"Look, I'm not going to drink. Nor will I have sex. Nor-"

"Oh My God! Aominecchi are you throwing me out?!"

"I am not throwing you out. Wait. To throw you out, you would have to be inside first. You're not even inside. Come on Kise, I am already tired, just scram."

"But I'm tired too! And how can I go outside? It is so late. Must be _soooo_ cold. I am wearing all thin. I'll freeze to death!"

"You have a blazer on you _and_ a cardigan on top of your shirt. I don't think you will be cold. It is fucking Spring and the weather outside was actually nice."

"Oh no, I'm not, see-" Kise started removing his blazer, "I'm just in a thin cotton shirt... or err, well, I will be, just – just one second."

His coordination was completely in shambles though and Aomine watched in amusement Kise trying to remove his blazer and failing to do so, flailing and shifting, lips in a particularly annoyed pout, eyes in full concentration yet failing...

"God stop it."

"No! You can't leave me out now!" Kise tried to get up only for his knees to wobble and he was about to fall down just when Aomine held him, snaking an arm around his side right above his waist,

"You... are a pest."

"A loveable one though?"

"A freakin' annoying one. God... just move so that I can unlock the door."

"You're not throwing me out?"

"No, I am not throwing you out. Fuck if I know why."

"Oh..." Kise said, his eyebrows wiggling as Aomine gave out a loud "tch" and shifted the blond roughly to one side to unlock and open the door. Even once they were in Kise did not let go and Aomine had to deliberately remove the arms that had already settled around him tightly. Not that it worked much, just a few steps into the room and after throwing his keys to the bowl on the coffee table in the living room, he felt Kise grasp onto the back of his shirt,

"What?"

"Nothing."

He sighed and turned to face the blond who seemed to be in deep thoughts as though drunkards could be capable of deep thoughts (at least Aomine was not when inebriated),

"Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

A smile crept up Kise's lips then, he seemed sincerely happy for a second before wrapping his arms around Aomine's neck,

"Naaah. I was just... really, _really_ bored."

"You need more friends."

"Yeah. Probably. How was your dinner? With your friend?"

"It was fine."

"Just 'fine'? You stood me up for just '_fine_'?"

Kise's cockiness rubbed Aomine the wrong way but not too wrong of a way, he was irritated but not enough to remove the blond's arms secured around his neck,

"It was fucking spectacular. I had _so_ much fun. As much as one can have in a dinner."

"No need to be sarcastic. I was _juuust_ curious. You wanna drink?"

"Nah. Already had a glass of wine at the restaurant. I don't feel like drinking..."

"Hmm... wine? Don't tell me this was a date? I thought you said it was with a friend. You naughty naughty _Aoooominecchi_."

Kise even winked by the end of his sentence and it gave Aomine a repulsed surprise overall – the idea of dating Momoi the most, he loved her dearly but as a sibling,

"Do I look like the type who dates?! Plus, yuck dude. She's like a sister to me."

"Oh."

'Oh'? Aomine was about to question the line of conversation, how they came to this point, why were they even discussing this, could Kise be jealous, despite the irrationality of the idea it was probable but before he could make coherent thoughts, he felt wine stained lips meeting his chapped ones fervently. For a moment, his mind had not yet caught up with what was going on so it was his lips that acted upon instinct, savouring the other's flush lips but the prominent taste of alcohol in other's mouth reminded him the condition they were in and he pushed Kise away with his hands on the other's chest. As they separated abruptly due to Aomine's push, for a second there Kise's face took a horrified expression, broken and shamed, insecurity was blatant but a dry swallow later he looked simply puzzled. So even the socially adept host had moments where his feelings would be bared? Normally Aomine would feel smug about it and the realisation would make him ponder other possibilities, but at that moment he was quiet mad at himself for giving in to the kiss so mindlessly for a second there that he did not think about such aspects.

"What? Aominecchi?"

"Nope."

"'Nope' what?"

"We are not having sex."

Kise blinked a few times as if to reassure himself of reality then when he spoke his voice was agitated and slightly tinted with anger and frustration,

"Why not? God, please Aominecchi... Are we gonna do this fake reluctance thing again-"

"Fake reluctance? What the fuck. No. And I mean, you are drunk."

Kise blinked again, honestly puzzled now,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I am sure as hell not having sex with you when you are drunk."

"What?"

"You are inebriated. How the hell are you supposed to consent?"

Kise gaped for a second then inquired, with a voice almost hesitant,

"So that... that's why you don't want to have sex? Because I am drunk?"

"Look I'm really tired so I don't think I'd be in it even if you were not. But when you're already drunk too? Nope. No way in hell."

The slight gape soon closed into a grin, then even a larger grin, then to outright giggling as Kise leaned in and pushed his face into the crook of Aomine's neck,

"What the heck is so funny?"

"You're not having sex with me because I'm intoxicated."

"I don't think that's something funny."

"No... Jeez... Aominecchi... It's not... It's just... _God_... You're just too much."

"I'm _too much_? You little shit, you crash on my door step stinking booze and refuse to leave and then hurl yourself at me, and I'm '_too much_'? I don't even know why I'm not throwing you out right this second."

"Because," Kise lifted his face, canting his head to the side and glancing at Aomine's face gleefully, "I'm a loveable little shit."

"You... are not. God damn it. Get off me Kise, you're fucking heavy."

"Aw come on... I'm drunk, I can hardly stand."

"You lying piece of shit. You know what, you even sound sober now. Maybe you were fooling me."

"_Naaah_, I really am drunk... Or wait, if I say I am now sober, are we gonna have sex?"

"Kise Ryouta, there is no fucking chance in hell that I'm fucking you tonight."

"Okay, message received. Can I sleep over here though? Please?"

Aomine glared, irritated, though honestly he had already accepted the fact of Kise staying over for the night, nevertheless he wanted to make Kise beg for it first – his pride demanded it,

"Pretty please?"

"Fine. Whatever."

"Yay! Um... but not at the couch."

"I am not having-"

"Sex. _We are not having sex_. I got it. But we can sleep? Come on. Your couch is not big enough for me to sleep comfortably. Not gonna be the first time I sleep in your bed anyway."

Kise's wiggling eyebrows only annoyed Aomine further but he simply sighed in resignation, not much he could do,

"Fine. Whatever the fuck. Just get off me."

"Nooo..."

"'_Nooo_'," Aomine tried imitating the high pitched childish tone of the host, "the fuck 'nooo'?! Come on Kise, it is too late for me to take care of a five years old. You're gonna crash the night, what the fuck else you want from me?! Grow up for a second."

"Carry me?"

"You gotta be kidding me."

"I told you. I can't walk. I'm drunk."

"You're just playing. You dickhead."

With that Aomine moved away, trying to turn his back – there was no in hell a chance he was carrying a man of roughly his own size to his own bed past midnight, but when Kise stumbled and pulled at his shirt from his back, holding onto his arm, he did not remove himself from the grasp either... Because _sure_, he was being held onto, but it was not as if he was carrying Kise and the blond indeed seemed to be quite inebriated. That was the rationalisation he fed to his pride and suspicious ego and that's how they made it to the bed and Kise hurled himself the moment he was close enough.

"Oi."

"Mm what?"

"Aren't you going to undress?"

"Oh... You changed your mind Aominecchi?"

"No I didn't change my mind dumbass. I just don't want you wailing like that one time you did because your _oh so fucking expensive_ clothes were wrinkled."

"I did not wail," Kise pouted as he sat up slightly and started removing his blazer and cardigan, more successful with them this time but the buttons of his shirt proved impossible and his fingers were useless, "ugh, I mean I was just... sad because they are really expensive, you know Aominecchi, and they were designer- uh, shit, what the..."

Aomine sighed and sat on the bed right across the blond, on the edge though and softly slapped Kise's hands away, starting to unbutton the shirt himself,

"I swear to God I feel like a fucking babysitter sometimes with you."

"Oh, you mean I'm a total babe?"

"Wow. Your delusions never fail to amaze me."

"Sometimes it is best to be happily lost in your delusions than to face the reality, Aominecchi."

The response was calm and words enunciated perfectly. When Aomine lifted his gaze to regard Kise's face, a little surprised at the sudden comment that was more profound then any comeback he would have expected, he saw Kise facing the window on the other side of the room, eyes targeting a nonexistent point, face partially alight with the moonlight shining through the drape-less window.

For a moment there Aomine felt the urge to ask why. He felt the need to inquire what was exactly so horrible about Kise's reality that he would prefer sweet delusions instead, even though he was fully aware of their fake nature. But it felt that if he indeed asked of these things he would be transgressing a boundary that had been firmly in place till then. An intimacy beyond what constituted physical proximity and entertaining small talk would be ventured then and he was not sure if he wanted that with Kise or if he could have it or if he should have it. Most importantly, his mind and body were too tired and indifferent to even further investigate the changing topology of their quirky relation. So he decided to ignore this fledgling urge and silently finished unbuttoning Kise's dress shirt and then his pants and removing both items with Kise shifting to help him, he put them away haphazardly and started undressing himself, changing into a pair of loose thin sweatpants and tank top undershirt.

When he finally made it in between the sheets, Kise was already drifting into sleep, his breathing calming into a specific rhythm, his eyes heavy lidded and almost closed, but feeling the presence of the other, Kise shifted slightly and almost out of reflex so did Aomine, then pale arms slowly reached to him and hugged. Kise loved to cuddle, Aomine had learnt in the most bizarre way after that first night he had let Kise stay over. He had also learnt through this that he himself appreciated the comfortable physical intimacy of cuddling. Although he would die than to admit this, his arm found its way around Kise's shoulders and the blond leaned in further nuzzling his face onto the curve of Aomine's neck, he could feel the soft hair of the other on his bare shoulder and the pulse of warm breath on the sensitive skin of his own neck. Oh and Kise reeked of booze. It did not irritate him as much as he thought it would though.

Why was it that Kise always managed to irritate him but never enough to be pushed away?

Why was it that he always felt like the conceding side with Kise and probably truthfully was if he stopped and analysed every interaction they had so far?

Why was it so easy and almost natural to welcome Kise in his bed like this?

These were the questions that popped up in his mind despite his best efforts to shoo them away and he thought that it was simply a side effect of his recent bout of inevitable depression. He had been lonely. He had been shaken. He had been confused. His mind and body wanted company, some way of relieving stress, some kind of comfort. That's all.

That's all.

"_That's all_", he murmured to himself as his consciousness was lost in the tender embrace of Morpheus.


	5. Chapter 5

Kise entered the room with a groan and dragged his larger than average body towards the little table in pure agony, whining and mumbling complaints. Once he was seated, Aomine asked almost indifferently but softly,

"Painkillers?"

"Painkillers."

He nodded as he reached for one of the drawers pulling out a small plastic container of painkillers and threw it towards the table, not even sparing a look – useful side effects of being a basketball prodigy. It seemed Kise's reflexes were not bad even under the influence of what must be a terrible hangover, as he caught the thrown item expertly. Then pouted. Or not, as Aomine's eyes were still focused on the tamagoyaki he was cooking, but Kise probably indeed pouted based on how his voice sounded next:

"Aooominecchi, I cannot drink it without water..."

"Get your lazy ass up and get a glass of water then."

"But I am hungover."

"And I am cooking breakfast."

A few huffs and puffs and loud whines later Kise finally realised that he was not getting what he wanted this time around so he pushed himself up and strutted towards the kitchenette to get a glass of water,

"You are so mean Aominecchi. You didn't even give me water."

"I am a fuckin' saint. Not only did I not throw you out last night, I _still_ haven't either."

"It was just a glass of water."

"Don't push your luck Kise."

He could hear the small gulping noises Kise made as he drank his water with the medication, then a silent chuckling and felt the other's body weight over his back,

"Mmm... what will you do if I do push my luck?"

"God, you stink... Go take a shower."

"But my head is hurting and I'm hungry…"

"And I'm cooking... just clean up before the meal."

"No, I want to eat first."

Aomine sighed,

"I'm never allowing you to crash at my place when you're drunk."

"You were fine sleeping with me when I smelt like this."

"Yeah, I must have been drunk too. But then it is the combined effect with your morning breath-"

"Jeez, disgusting, fine, I'll go brush my teeth and take a shower."

Aomine snorted as Kise stomped to the bathroom. It was interesting how he could stand Kise's antics so easily and how Kise knew which ones he could push and if so how much. They had a natural comprehension with each other and it was kind of soothing. To be understood and to understand one another so easily. Aomine valued this perhaps because he often lacked it with others. Few people tried to get to know him despite the initial distance he set up and the intimidation that radiated from him, then even fewer peopleever understood his motivations or limits. Kise was special in a way but then he thought he must be so for Kise as well, why else would the popular host spend so much time with him and be at ease so well together?

Kise came just in time after a quick shower, Aomine had just put the plates onto the ate mostly quietly, the silence being broken once or twice by Kise's whining over Aomine stealing pieces from his food. It was utterly silly: the food was the same and Aomine was not particularly very hungry. But it was quite entertaining to tease and watch Kise pout and whine over mere pieces of tamagoyaki stolen, sometimes trying to block Aomine's attacks with his chopsticks only to fail and complain. At one point as a counter-attack Kise grabbed Aomine's cup of green tea and took a big gulp, not realising that Aomine had filled his cup a little later and the liquid was still quite hot, burning his tongue due to the mishap and cursing loudly – it only made Aomine cackle more.

After the breakfast (drama) was over, Aomine ordered Kise to clean up the table which Kise reluctantly agreed. Aomine was sure it would take Kise a good amount of time to clean up as he seemed to be particularly bad at any kind of housework (Aomine had realised this one time they had decided to eat in and he had made the mistake of allowing Kise into his kitchen – a mistake that shall never be repeated).However unexpectedly Kise found a way to finish his work rather soon and sneaked into the bathroom right in the middle of Aomine's shower.

It was silly.

It was the kind of silly bonding over mundane things that probably couples do and making out at even more mundane moments that again probably couples often did... Kise's bare arms wrapped around him from behind and Aomine murmured,

"Tch, didn't you already take a shower?" to which Kise shrugged lying his whole body over his back,

"Yeah, so what?"

And that was how Aomine thought, albeit it came natural with Kise, these were exactly the kinds of things he never really experienced before, rarely ever dating someone long enough to bring them home or share moments of carefree fun and spontaneous intimacy. It was a wonder how easily he allowed Kise in and his suspicious side, the misanthropy he cultivated so skilfully during adolescence flinched at the revelation again but before he could ponder about the subject thoroughly, Kise whispered to his ear as he swung his body to the side slowly, his arms holding Aomine's loosely but securely, their bodies moving in tandem,

"Isn't this nice? Can't I stay?"

And it was nice. It was so very nice. It was so very nice and fun that Aomine paused the doubting thoughts -– he had never been a fan of thinking anyway. He was the kind of person who acted on instinct, on pleasure or displeasure, not per the results of hours of rumination.

So he leant back and closed his eyes, his voice a little tired, a little amused, and finally a little capricious too but that last bit was almost impossible to notice for those untrained in his ways (he thought Kise realised it anyway),

"Mm only if you scrub my back... But like really. God my back has been killing me..."

Kise giggled rubbing his face onto the wet crook of Aomine's neck,

"Jeez Aominecchi, you are like an old man..."

"Shut the fuck up, I'm not even thirty..."

"Yeah but you already have wrinkles!" Kise responded as he leant to the side to grab the wooden body brush hanging from the shower caddy.

For a second there unwittingly Aomine's hand again went over to his forehead, fingertips tracing the part where his eyebrows met and he heard Kise cackle then.

_T__hat little shit_.

"You are a little shit Kise..."

"Yeah, a loveable one though..." Kise said as his hands started their work.

After a lazy make out in the shower interlaced between bouts of actual cleaning, they dressed and Kise dragged him out saying that the weather was too lovely to stay indoors. He was right too, the weather was akin to a delightful Summer day, an azure clear sky and sweetest sunshine, sans the scorching heat which only made it even better. Kise was adamant about going to see a film because he had not gone to the cinema "in ages" he said – which Aomine was certain a lie, and he grumbled a bit about the prospect but let Kise drag him anyway. The film Kise took him turned out to be a pretty enjoyable action flick which surprised him a little; he had been almost sure that the Casanova host would impose a sappy romantic comedy on him. It was not that Aomine passionately hated romcoms, in fact he watched many romcoms and quite frequently too, mainly because of Momoi and having grown up with her and thus with her fondness of overtly dramatic love stories on screen, he did not like them but he was not truly bothered by them either. He complained though – every single time (not that complaining ever changed Momoi's steel will). Turns out Kise was into any and all kinds of films, even documentaries ("but only the ones about planes or space" as Kise had put it), which Aomine was definitely not a fan of. Though he had enjoyed one or two documentaries focused on certain predatory felines; they provided a nice background noise and interest during long winter nights when he did not have overtime.

So they talked about films. They talked about cinema. Then music and this led Kise to drag him to this bar-slash-restaurant with live music. "Jazz," he said, "it is velvety yet buzzing." To Aomine it honestly sounded as a mesh of noises, he had never had much interest in music nor did he have a particular palate for it. Kise seemed to enjoy it a lot though, as they waited for their food to arrive the blond's incessant chattering came to a halt gracefully and instead his crystal clear eyes donned a beautiful haze, like swirling blurry tiny pots of honey and his mouth curved into a relaxed smile. The same kind of smile he gave before falling asleep or waking up and Aomine was so focused on observing the other, in this languid form, in this bottom of the calmest passion, he did not even pause to realise how he had become so used to the various kinds of smiles Kise gave.

When their food arrived the special few minutes of silent magic faded away and Kise chirped about how good his pasta tasted and how nice the red wine was. Aomine shrugged and mentioned that "it was not so bad".

_It's not so bad..._

That was the recurring mantra of his regarding his time spent with Kise Ryouta. Because honestly, it was not so bad. That was his greatest compliment anyway, never even questioned if it could be anything more, if it could be a little better than "not so bad".

After dinner Kise wanted to go to another bar – not just a place to drink this time, but a full-fledged club, dancing and pulsating lights of a myriad colours included. Aomine thought it was unnecessary. A bother really, he had never been too fond of dancing, not much of a dancer at all actually. Clubs often induced headaches in him after some time and he definitely did not enjoy dealing with groping drunkards. Kise was stubborn though, whining and begging and literally pulling his arms...

"Come on, who knows when we'll get a chance again!"

The comment rang through his mind. What they shared was quite akin to what people called summer flings, though summer was still weeks away. A warm bonding that is enchanting but temporary, soothing and reinvigorating but not permanent. Indeed, after Aomine started working, all-nighters would follow, weeks long operations and many nights spent at the headquarters... Would he even have time for this anymore? Or the willingness? To put up with Kise's childish whims and be dragged around, to forget himself and his duties in the pale arms and kissing intoxicating lips? Probably not.

So he gave in. He cursed and called Kise a "stubborn little shit" but he gave in anyway and let himself be dragged yet again to god knows which club in god knows where because honestly, it was likely to be the last time he let it go like this. The place was not too far away but not close by either, Kise drove with enthusiasm and after the fifteen minutes long drive, entered the bar with equal enthusiasm. He did not allow Aomine to order any of his regulars (that is either beer or scotch) and after a small bout of bickering Aomine relented to a screwdriver while Kise ordered himself a tequila sunrise despite Aomine's dirty looks and snide comments. They drank the first round at the bar watching the crowd in the stage go wild to the loud and oscillating tunes and after a round of shots that followed, Kise pulled Aomine towards the jerking mass of sweating human bodies and for a second there Aomine was confused, surprised, mind still slightly dazed from the recent intake of alcohol such that he did not realise what was exactly happening until it was too late. The moment he realised that Kise had dragged him to dance, which he definitely did not want to nor was used to, he was already in the midst of the throbbing crowd. People pushed and the waves of human limbs in harmony with the music moved him around despite his wishes otherwise. For a moment he cursed his misfortune and Kise and was trying his best to think of a way to get out, how to get away... then Kise pulled him.

Kise pulled him close and he would have thought that amidst such heat, amidst such noise, amidst such glaring lights, amidst such a suffocating atmosphere he would hate it. But he did not. Kise's strong arms held him secure in a tantalising motion of their bodies, close but not too close, honey orbs glinting with cunning pleasure and an almost naïve cheer, and a smile... a smile that was somehow inviting and mysterious yet unabashedly innocent. How did Kise do this? This paradoxical state of allure and perhaps he would ponder more about it if his arms had not wrapped around the swinging body of the blond and heat rising within him obliterating any serious rumination.

It was not lust per se.

It was something different that he had never experienced before in all honesty. It was want, pure and sincere want. A desire for proximity. An inclination for bonding. An almost natural flow towards the other. It was almost like a gravitational pull and Kise did not seem to mind as his body started swaying more erratically and his smile broke into joyful giggles.

Aomine felt like giggling too. He did not but he actually felt the desire to. Perhaps he would have, if the whole scene had not felt so alien – yet familiar. It was rather baffling. More than anything, he was bemused – much pleasurably so.

They danced. Or rather Aomine simply swayed from side to side slowly as Kise danced around him, over him, before and after him, with him. Kise danced and he let Kise dance for him and watched Kise dance. Every twitching muscle seemed to release stress he did not know he had accumulated; hidden worries and concerns disappeared even from the distant corners of his mind, he became careless, his mind grasping the moment and only the moment – no past, no future, just now. Just here and now. Just here and now and Kise.

Just Kise.

They did not stay long at the club afterwards. Just as Kise had dragged him in, pulled him to dance, Kise pulled him away, dragged him out. Driving was out of question even if they were only mildly tipsy… It was Aomine who called for a cab, it was Aomine who gave his own address, it was Aomine who looked outside the whole ride home still wrapped an arm around Kise's back. It was Kise who entangled their fingers together and squeezed the tan hand in his slightly now and then.

The next day when he woke up, Aomine could not remember anything much after the cab ride itself. He vaguely recalled that they had made it home rather noisily and clumsily as Kise had tried to see "if Aominecchi is ticklish" while they were still climbing the stairs to the apartment and god, what an awfully stupid debacle that must have been… He was glad he only remembered it partially. Flashes of memories of clothes coming off in urgent desire, mouths meeting in eager conviction, limbs struggling with each other in a race of just who could conquer most of the other the sooner… Then bed. His bed. Everything else was a blur of gasps and moans and all kinds of obscene words and shouts and bites and muscles and sweat and… giggles. As Aomine looked at the ceiling of his own room on his bed alone, having already read the little note Kise had left behind on the bedside table, one clear voice, a single moment etched onto his mind even though he had closed his eyes then and thus it was devoid of any imagery but of sounds and smells so vividly remembered… Kise giggling in a post-coital bliss of sorts.

"_As I said before, I'm quite busy today so sorry to leave so early. Thanks for everything Aominecchi! It was fun._" the note had said.

"It was fun…" Aomine murmured to himself and couldn't help a smile form on his lips. Tomorrow he would wake up for work, deal with the aftermath of his spectacular screw-up in the coming weeks, try to earn the respect and faith of his colleagues once again… Kise would be a fleeting reminiscence by then, albeit a fun one. Perhaps spring flings were more invigorating and intoxicating than summer ones and that's why people did not talk about them.

"It was fun," Aomine concluded by himself internally, "definitely fun."


	6. Chapter 6

Considering he spent Sunday doing nothing but lazing around at home, the fact that he woke up late on the first Monday he was back to work was completely his fault. Realising that he had no pressed dress shirts ready to wear only after he had showered and was five minutes away from getting out of the house further exasperated him. Not that he cared about his attire much but he was sure to receive a lecture (make that multiple lectures actually, from multiple superiors) and he did not want to receive extra scolding for sullenly appearance.

Alas, he could not magically get his crumpled shirts pressed with a flick of fingers so he opted for the sensible approach of taking a light blazer on top of his shirt to hide as much of the crinkled fabric as he could. He debated whether he wanted to put on a tie – it was in the regulation but he normally never wore it. However, it was his first day back after all so he decided to put it on, albeit loosely.

At least he was not late to work.

That would probably end up being the highlight of the day as he registered, though pretended to not have realised, the scrutinising looks he received from literally everyone who saw him enter the headquarters. He heard some hushed whispers, not loud enough for him to be able to recognise the words; still he could more or less guess the content.

The golden boy who screwed up big time was back in the house.

He could distinctly catch a few of his especially distasteful colleagues sneer and smirk to the sight of him; after all, these people had desired and waited for this exact moment for a long time. He never understood them; the ones who envied his talent so deeply that they would be filled with contempt to the brim of their beings. Did they not understand that ability and power brought along problems of their own? A grand success was just as massive a burden as a grand failure. That at times, Aomine felt more lost and nihilistic than any of them had ever felt. That at times, Aomine wondered how it would be to be mediocre and perhaps even felt a yearning to be so. Because then he could savour his job and his achievements surely much better, adapt to his team well, become a much more supportive partner.

But no, the Fates had decided that nothing Aomine Daiki ever dabbled in would be something he could be mediocre in. He was 'doomed' to be exceptional in achievements and fuck-ups.

As he settled on his desk first thing that caught his eyes subconsciously was Kuroko's empty chair and untouched desk on the other side of the room. He swallowed the budding guilt. He should have met Kuroko at least once. He could have visited him at the hospital or after the discharge at home… Hell, he could have called him if meeting face to face felt too heavy. Yet he had avoided Kuroko like plague, content at the silent aid Momoi provided by sending little status updates about their dear friend once every few days. He knew Kuroko was recuperating at home, the mission overall had been extremely tough on him, especially psychologically; the hardest undercover job of his whole career only to end up in utter chaos and injury. He sighed at his own cowardice and the vulnerabilities he carefully hid behind his humongous ego snickered at him; he did not have confidence in his own anger control, he was not sure how well he had healed his unforeseen insecurities, he did not believe in—

"He was asking about you the other day y'know."

His line of thought came to a halt as he turned his face to his right to see Kagami standing with a cup of hot coffee in his hand, giving him a careful one over. How to answer this? He had never been good at dealing with feelings in the first place and Kagami was the last person on earth he was going to have a talk of it with. So he ended up shrugging as a non-answer answer. Kagami sighed,

"I think he misses you. And kinda wants to see you. And kinda wants to thank too."

"Hm and how does that make you feel Kagami? Tetsu missing me? Let's talk about that. Your boyfriend is—"

"Fuck, really? Wow, kudos on being the huge asshole you are right on the first day. No amount of deflecting will fool me by the way. Stop being a dumbass and just call him."

Aomine glared in response but his glare was equally returned and their stubborn little game was only broken off after a few seconds by the sound of someone clearing their throat – someone they both knew very well. Both men immediately stopped their childish stare off and turned towards the voice, each nodding respectively and Aomine standing up from his seat.

"Lieutenant."

"Aomine. My office."

Aomine shot one final glare to Kagami as he followed his superior to her office. Entering the office he closed the door behind him and stood in front of her table as she took her seat.

"Welcome back. I hope you learnt lessons."

He sighed and Riko raised an eyebrow,

"It is a 'Yes, Ma'am', in case you forgot how to talk with your Lieutenant during your suspension."

Aomine scowled slightly as he muttered a quick "Yes, Ma'am" to which Riko rolled her eyes.

"I honestly don't know what we're gonna do with you. You're all great but… Well, you are a jerk. And, would it kill you to dress properly at least once? Just a single day. And let that day be your first day back at work, maybe?"

They both sighed.

"Look…" she sounded rather unsure, "others were not sure whether or not to inform you of this, but even if we kept it a secret you'd find a way to learn it, so I think it's better I tell you upfront. We're opening a new investigation on Haizaki and Hanamiya."

"What?"

Before he could get his hopes up, she shut them down,

"And you're absolutely not part of it."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Are you kidding me? After what happened the last time you came in contact with Haizaki, you should be thankful that we even let you come back to the unit."

"Despite," he took a deep breath, "despite that fuck-up, you know very well that I'm your best. Your goddamn best."

"Yes, you are my goddamn best – but not when you are unstable. Not when you are emotionally invested, and Aomine, you are. Plus, even if I didn't think so, after what happened, it's practically impossible."

She had a point there – bureaucracy and regulations sometimes stood stronger than any will or logic. He turned his glare from his superior's face to the floor; he had known this would be the case more or less, so he was not actually angry or agitated, but knowing was a lot different than the truth slapping you across the face. He was not used to screw-ups, they hurt a lot more than he could remember.

"Who will handle it?"

"Takao."

"But he is my partner?"

"Temporarily, he is not. He will lead the case with Wakamatsu."

"Wakamatsu? Do you honestly think he will be able to handle this?"

"Wakamatsu is quite good. Perhaps what we need is not some lone-wolf genius prone to selfish and thoughtless outbursts but a team-player with years of experience. Plus, Takao will handle strategizing and HQ is directly involved."

"So Nijimura is overseeing all this?"

"Obviously and it is 'Superintendent Nijimura' for you. He's not your buddy."

"Whatever. So who am I going to be working with if Takao is working on a case I'm not 'allowed in'?"

Riko narrowed her eyes at Aomine's sarcastic tone,

"You will be working with Kagami, who is also not 'allowed in'."

"You can't be serious."

"I'm serious."

"It won't work! We fight like—"

"A pair of lovers actually."

"What?"

Riko smiled impishly at Aomine's horrified face and snickered, which earned her a poisonous glare that she did not seem to care at all,

"Look, I know you two bicker a lot but you two are actually not that bad together. Remember the latest Triad bust when you all teamed up? It was a good one."

"It was a fluke and he had a sore throat the whole month which shut his mouth and let us have peace. That was the only reason why I was able to finish the operation without killing him y'know."

"Oh, you are such a tsundere."

"Riko, this is harassment."

"Not 'Riko'; 'Lieutenant'. And you are dismissed."

He opened his mouth to contest, to spit out some kind of witty comeback but forced his lips close tightly before he uttered something that would lead him to another suspension. Riko was all fun and good but could turn staunch due to the stupidest things; he simply could not afford angering her at this point. So he gave his salute and turned towards the door but before he could make it out, she mentioned loudly,

"Ah, I almost forgot. You'll be responsible for paper work for the cases handled by your partner during your suspension. Also for the cases your team will work on in the upcoming month. You're also assigned for the inventory duty of this quarter that has to be finished before next month."

Aomine gaped, scandalised and terrified at the scale of the deadly boring, absolutely useless, and solely bureaucratic work that was assigned to him.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am serious. Please, did you really think you'd be off with just a suspension? Akashi may have some strings he can pull but your direct superior is still me."

The fact that at least half of the work he was assigned to was likely due to a power showdown between the two in the background rather pissed him off, but without Akashi's involvement in the first place, he could have been directing traffic at a four-way intersection instead of making it back to Organised Crime Control Bureau after only a month long suspension. Hence, he swallowed his pride, which took a lot of control and strength because his pride had always been rather massive, and made his way out of Riko's office without any other words.

"Oh Ao-chan is back!"

He could not help snorting at the ridiculous nickname, which he had eventually gotten used to, though he would never confess to it.

"Takao. You're late."

"Says the man who is one month late!"

Takao sat on Aomine's desk comfortably, utterly nonchalant at the chiding gazes the childish act attracted. He had always been just the right amount of audacious and careful, his cheerful demeanour and laidback ways gingerly veiling a cunning personality that was commended by many in the Bureau.

"It's not like I didn't come because I wanted to."

"Bah, admit it, you probably lazed and played basketball all the time, so it was practically a vacation or something for you."

"Well even lazing around will get boring over time…"

"Really?"

"No. Of course not."

Takao chuckled wholeheartedly and while his voice stayed the same his eyes donned a caring look,

"Anyway, welcome back."

Aomine nodded as Takao got up to his feet,

"Well, I guess Lieutenant explained the situation to you?"

"Yeah, you'll be riding with Wakamatsu for a bit and hunt down Haizaki."

"So much fun."

"Sure, Wakamatsu is a bundle of joy after all."

"Yeah, yeah, but I'll still miss you Ao-chan," Takao cooed almost in a flirting voice which garnered further scrutinising gazes neither of whom really paid any attention to, "oh and the cases for which paperwork needs to be completed are all on my desk. Good luck."

Aomine narrowed his eyes but his glare seemed not to affect Takao in the slightest as the raven haired man winked at him and walked towards the door, probably going over to Wakamatsu's desk which was on the other side of the floor. For the next two hours, Aomine went over his overflowing e-mail inbox and cursed himself inside for never taking a peek at it during his suspension. A quick lunch outside enjoying the crisp Spring weather (and evading his colleagues successfully) and an afternoon shift that reached beyond afternoon, well into the evening, and then night, full of boring, godawful brain-dead paperwork occupied rest of his day. He was too tired to think anything when he reached home but to curse his luck and fall asleep quickly with his work clothes still on.

The rest of his week was mostly a repeat of the Monday: wake up last minute, scramble to get to work on time (often in thoroughly wrinkled clothing), receive one or two trivial scolding from Riko, tease Kagami, some small talk with Takao, and long, long, long hours of paperwork. He tried his best to follow up with the on-goings of the Haizaki investigation from afar without getting involved in it enough to anger his superiors. Twice, he had lunch with Momoi, more to her insistence than his as they were obvious attempts at ensuring his well-being and adjustment back into the workforce. Not that he needed adjustment, as Nijimura had once put it, he was a natural; it was as if he was born to be a detective, to serve and protect… Not that his innate skills were particularly essential in paper-pushing.

Friday afternoon, sipping from his tea lazily while tiredly revising the report in his hand, his five-day-old routine was abruptly broken by a strong grip on his shoulders:

"Come on naughty boy, we're going out!"

"What the heck Takao?! I almost spilled the tea."

"Drinking tea, reading files and having to narrow your eyes – wait, did you get myopia or something? Oh My God. You are officially old Ao-chan. You are an old man now."

"I'm not an old man; your handwriting is just plain shitstain, that's all."

"Not shitstain; 'unique'. My handwriting is one of a kind."

"One of a kind of a disaster. Do you even know how to spell English names? Like what the fuck is this word supposed to read?"

"Says the man with the most incomprehensible wording in the whole department that your paperwork gets sent back for review twice on average." Kagami chimed in, his palms on Aomine's desk, standing all authoritatively in front of him with a smirk on his face. Aomine shrugged – though the point Kagami made was a good one which he could perhaps utilise to get out of the task of paperwork, five days of it had already drained him, he could not imagine continuing it for longer.

"Yeah, Bakagami, you who cannot even spell or read the elementary level kanji would be the best judge of that."

"Oi! I can spell. And I can read grade school kanji… It's just the high school ones are sometimes tricky, okay?"

Both Takao and Aomine stared at him in response and he just palmed his face,

"Just, what the… How did this even turn to be about me?! C'mon. Takao you said, you'd bring his lazyass."

Aomine glanced at Takao questioningly as he was pulled up by his temporarily estranged partner,

"Yup, yup, time to go have fun."

"What fun? Where are we going?"

"Obviously to drink and party."

"Party for what?"

Takao rolled his eyes in a dramatic manner,

"Your return dumbass! God, sometimes between you two, I feel like I'm the only one with brains here. Oh how I am missing Kuro-chan!"

"Hmm Tetsu is not comin'?"

"Nope… he… apparently had prior plans…" Kagami muttered, face soured visibly before he shook his head and moved towards the door, "I'm going on ahead."

"Hah that explains why he's such a sourpuss."

"But not why you're still here. C'mon, c'mon Ao-chan."

"I don't really feel—"

"Well, Momo-chan's orders. And mine. We're getting you drunk today so that you can forget about paperwork for at least the weekend."

"Hmm doesn't sound bad actually then. She's comin' too?"

"Yeah, she's probably already there."

"Uh, shit, she'll raise hell…"

"Yeah and you are still standing!" Takao exclaimed as he pulled Aomine towards the door and Aomine let himself be pulled for once (or more than once, in full honesty he found himself being dragged around by either Momoi or Takao quite often).

He had hoped that they would go to a regular bar but he knew it was too much to wish for. Of course, they ended up in a club; Takao was involved after all. At least, unlike with Kise, he was not forced to forego his usual choice of beverage and contentedly drank up his beer while pretending to actually listen to Momoi's initial bout of chiding for him being late. Not 'them' but 'him' specifically, as she was dead certain that it was him who held the others back – he did not try to refute it as it was the truth. He was about to get his second beer when Takao insisted for tequila shots and Kagami was reluctant.

"C'mon Kagamin! Even Ao-chan agrees!"

"I didn't agree yet…"

"Yeah, but you will, won't you?"

"Whatever."

"See, even Ao-chan does, you have to do too!"

Momoi joined Takao's wooing too,

"Yeah, yeah Kagamin, you have to! We should do it all together."

Aomine scrunched his nose turning to Momoi,

"Wait, you doin' shots too?"

"Huh? Of course!"

"No you're not."

"Yes I am! We are all doing shots!"

"You're such a lightweight, you'll get drunk right away."

"Yeah and you'll get my drunkass home then. We are drinking. Tequila. Shots."

She glared intensely to both Kagami and Aomine, her tone sternly commanding.

"Uh, what'll I do if I get drunk? I have to go home by myself you know." Kagami complained while they waited for the shots.

"Why doesn't Tetsu come pick you up?"

"He… as I said he has prior commitments."

Takao snickered which earned a glare from Kagami and suddenly Aomine was very much interested in the matter;

"Well then you'll get a cab and Tetsu can help you home."

"Who knows… if he'll be home by then."

Hah, dumbass, falling to the bait.

"So wait, we're drinking out, for my party, his best friend's and you, his partner is in too and your possible drunken chastity is at stake… Yet he hadprior commitments? And he won't even be back home that late?"

Kagami spluttered,

"What the heck, with the weird voice 'n all, what are you insinuating?"

"Nothin'. Just wondering what this commitment could be… to be that important. That he stood up both his best friend and partner."

"He didn't—"

Takao's fake-cough cut Kagami's denial at the right moment; "Aka" Takao murmured after his first cough and added "Shi" after his second. Aomine burst out laughing.

"He stood you up for Akashi?"

"He didn't! And hell, if he did, like you said, this is your party so you should feel bad about it."

Aomine shook his shoulders indifferently as he eyed the recently placed set of shot glasses,

"Not my partner."

Kagami was about to open his mouth in retort when Takao raised his voice out loud: "Guys, the shots! Aaaaand, a huge welcome back to our favourite asshole!"

"Oi!" Aomine mock punched Takao on the shoulder as they each promptly took their shots and just when they were done, full of mischief in his eyes, Takao murmured,

"Y'know… I had once heard a rumour that Akashi had dated Kuro-chan too."

"What?" Kagami roared than asked which simply caused the others to cackle and him to suddenly realise how unnecessarily agitated his reaction was,

"I mean… don't be stupid. It's because there's like a million rumours about Akashi. Yeah, just gossips."

"Yeah, probably," Takao agreed good-naturedly, "plus I'm sure he's banging Superintendent Nijimura."

Aomine glanced at Momoi but she shrugged, still not fully convinced at the point, but he was for his part,

"Damn he is. Like have you seen them together? The UST? It's dripping."

"I don't know guys. There are other possibilities too, you know." Momoi added.

Kagami was still interested in the initial point though, "I mean… with Kuroko though? Pfft, such crazy rumours."

"Or are they?" Momoi whispered, deliberately audible.

Kagami's mouth opened in a gape of horror while Takao's lips parted in a huge grin,

"Holy Shit! This totally calls for more shots! Wait before you drop the bomb, hey, hey, bartender!"

"You got to be kidding me. You are lying."

"Oh Kagamin, I didn't say anything…"

"Yeah, she was just, y'know, underlining certain possibilities you had unnecessarily dismissed." Aomine 'explained', hoping he sounded as eloquent as he desired given that he could start feeling the effect of alcohol but he so wanted to tease Kagami – it was always fun.

"You guys are just… lying. Yeah, lying to get to me. Ha! Thought I wouldn't figure it out."

"Or my dear Kagamin, maybe we actually know more about both Tetsu-kun and Akashi than you since we have been together since middle school?"

Kagami's breathing hitched and Momoi seemed to enjoy her little torture a little too much according to Aomine; maybe it was a payback of sorts, though he truly believed she had moved on a long time ago. Well, a little payback is good even when dealing with exes so why not with other kinds of heartbreak?

"You're lying…" Kagami murmured, his voice obviously fused with doubt now.

"Or is she?" Aomine added and Kagami spat back;

"For God's sake Ahomine! It's Akashi. It's goddamn Akashi! Why would he?"

"Or why wouldn't he?" Takao sneered, "I mean, yeah I'm totally not into short dudes but hell, he is hot, rich, and a genius got to accept that and no—no Momo-chan my dear, don't open your mouth yet, shots first, then story!"

Momoi giggled as she hovered over the shot glasses and after another round of increased intoxication levels she started, slurping slightly,

"So they didn't really go out. I mean, it was just one date."

"Wow! Finally a rumour about Akashi's love life proved to be true!"

"I don't believe this… Why? Like why Akashi?"

"I'm tellin' ya, he's hot."

"I don't think it was his looks." Aomine mumbled.

"What was it then?"

Aomine shrugged and pondered for a second but totally drew blank,

"No idea actually. Apparently he was going through some puberty crisis, asked Akashi out for a date, and that's all."

"That's all? They never actually dated?"

"Wow Kagamin, you're actually asking? I never pegged you for the jealous type."

"Yeah dude, 's kinda bothering me too. You're not gonna pull shit on Tetsu for this right?"

"What?! Of course not! It's his life and it was before us and who cares… It's just… Akashi I mean… He is our superior."

"Not yours technically, but mine." Momoi nodded to herself in obvious agony and Takao petted her back in empathy, then they both promptly started giggling.

"But wait…" Takao paused, "how did you guys come to know? I mean, Kuro-chan is usually a very reserved person. Best friends 'n' all but I'm still surprised…"

"Weeeell," Aomine exclaimed full of mirth as Momoi's face donned a shade of pink instantaneously and they changed 'looks'.

"Oh I'm smellin' another great story!"

"Hmm, maybe."

"No Aomine-kun! You're not! Don't you dare!"

"Come on Satsuki, it's not that bad…"

"I think I want to hear it." Kagami pushed on and Momoi glared back at him in disbelief,

"You too, Kagamin?"

"What? You were kinda grillin' me a minute ago you know."

"I was just teasing you…"

"Yeah, maybe two can play that game."

"Oooh, sassy Kagamin is sexy. Me likes it. And come on Momo-chan, we're all friends here. Plus it'll stay here. Promise. Not a word to Shin-chan."

"You know that's a lie." Momoi spat back but Takao just chuckled in response and turned to Aomine,

"So?"

"So, obviously Tetsu is a little closed book shit and never told about it to us… Until Satsuki heard a rumour of Akashi and Tetsu being a thing, because some chick saw them during their date or something… Anyway, Satsuki got all anxious and confronted him about it, and he pretty nonchalantly said that no, he was not going out with Akashi, but yes, he was gay and would probably never date a girl."

"Ouch."

Kagami gave a sad look at Momoi, suddenly self-conscious of his previous brashness and almost guilty but Momoi's exaggerated pout dissolved in an instant as she saw his face,

"God! Kagamin, don't look so hurt. I'm okay. Really."

"Yeah, plus, if anyone should be mad I think it should be Tetsu."

"Yeah, I kind of forced it out of him, it was bad…" Momoi snuggled closer to Aomine naturally and rested her head on his shoulder, "those were some pretty wild days, we were all so… young."

"And stupid. We were stupid."

"You were. I was not."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah, pretty sure about that. Though what I did there was horrible."

As Aomine and Momoi engaged in a stare off of sorts with Takao watching them giggling silently, Kagami fell back to his own thoughts and sighed loudly as his hand moved to signal bartender for a beer,

"Akashi, huh? I wonder why he never told me."

"Because there was nothing to say." Aomine cut off his mean stare and instead targeted it to Kagami.

"Calm your tits Aho. I'm not mad or anything, why would I be?! It's just…"

"Strange. I know." Takao nodded then chuckled, "But anyway, all in the past huh?"

"Yeah… And I mean Akashi is with someone else too now…" Kagami nodded thoughtfully, to which other three also nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, my bet is on Superintendent Nijimura."

"Damn Nijimura for sure."

"Hmm someone, I'm certain, but I'm still not convinced that it's Nijimura-san."

"Um… I didn't say this before but, hell, I mean we are all friends here. Well, most of us, not counting Ahomine. So I heard he was actually with… Murasakibara."

Aomine choked on the beer he had just started drinking, whereas Momoi froze in her spot and Takao just gaped.

"What?"

"Wow. That… was unexpected. Murasakibara? Really? Wasn't he? I mean… he was obviously with… " Takao wondered out loudly.

"Wait, wait guys," Momoi interfered, "who did you exactly hear that from Kagamin?"

"Well, he didn't say it explicitly. But I was just chatting with Tatsuya one day and the topic of Murasakibara came about… I don't even remember how. Then I said Murasakibara must be asexual 'cause like he never talks or seems inclined… Or maybe just not interested, since he's still pretty childish y'know?"

Catching up to how his friends were staring at him in pure disbelief Kagami suddenly felt a rush of self-doubt; "wait, what? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no just, go on, please Kagamin," Momoi assured him so he went on,

"So well and Tatsuya laughed and said Murasakibara was actually in a relationship with an old friend but they were keeping it off the radar. So I thought, you know the six of you were all middle school mates and you are still pretty close and well out of all you the only one that it could be was Akashi so…"

He stared back at them still confused as to why he was suddenly being regarded as an alien species.

"What? Come on guys! Is it that weird? Like it makes sense right? And Tatsuya would never lie to me plus he's the one closest to Murasakibara so."

It was Takao who first burst into laughter but Aomine was a close second, Momoi first trembled, apparently tried very hard to not cackle but let go after a few more seconds of futile struggle. Kagami looked to each of them, thoroughly bemused and lost,

"What? Why are you all laughing?"

"God… Kagamin… My God… I'll die from laughter." Takao was barely able to say the words as he held onto Aomine's shoulder to keep himself from doubling over. Aomine added, snorting,

"Yeah… Just… Wow. Now I have a newfound respect for that Himuro guy."

"Will anyone tell me what's going on here?" Kagami loudly whined, now genuinely frustrated. Momoi glanced back at the other two laughing their asses off, but Aomine was quick to shrug off,

"If he was not told, there must be a reason."

"Yeah. Also, I heard that guy actually has a very nasty hook and… my face is too pretty to be punched." Takao supported, giggling in between his words still.

When Kagami gave an exasperated sigh and furrowed his eyebrows, a sign of further interrogation to come, Takao expertly diverted the attention,

"Now, enough chatting! Time to party! C'mon, let's dance."

"Oh no. Nope." Aomine shook his head sipping from drink.

"Got to agree with Aho on this one!" Kagami admitted but Momoi snaked an arm around his, her grip unflinching and slowly dragging him,

"What are you doing?!"

"We all know you are the cutest on stage Kagamin. You are coming."

"What the hell! Why don't you drag Aomine?"

"He sucks at dancing and grumbles and would probably use force to escape my grip."

"And you think I won't?"

"You will?" Momoi gaped, fake and dramatic horror on her face, and Kagami sighed – realising he had just lost the debate, Takao smirked and winked at Aomine before moving to put his arms around Kagami's free arm and helped Momoi drag the tall man. Aomine waved a mocking bye-bye to Kagami, who glared him pure poison.

He watched them from afar for a bit. It was not an uncommon sight, Takao and Momoi going crazy on the stage, or them drinking out and having some fun (and a lot of laughter often at the expense of either Midorima or Kagami). The two were sandwiching a furiously blushing Kagami at the moment, Aomine snickered and took a photo, sending it to Kuroko out of habit, realising only after the fact that this would be his first interaction with his friend after so many weeks… He received a reply back curtly, a regular smiley face.

So very Kuroko.

Glancing at his friends, he realised even Kagami was cackling now; a sign of him having successfully become drunk. The silliest idea came to his mind and he realised how Kise would fit so well with the crowd. Well, not with Kagami. He would probably piss the shit out of Kagami. But definitely with Takao and Momoi. More interestingly though, if Kise was indeed present, he could somehow imagine himself too there, maybe dancing. It was not as if he liked dancing per se, there was a reason why his friends did not push him. He was honestly bad at it and did not enjoy it in general. So why, he could not help but wonder, just why and how Kise had so easily dragged him to dance. Why and how he had gained so much pleasure from the mere swings of Kise's body around his, the yearning touches that marked his skin in harmony with the music, the eyes that stared at him with almost too much meaning yet none at the same time; a moment of everything, a moment of nothing. Simple fun. Intricate sensation.

Why was it so different to spend a night at a club with Kise than with his friends?

Because Kise was not a friend? Was that why? What was Kise then? What had he been rather, now that it was over? Suddenly, the realisation brought a kind of nostalgia he did not expect having at all, surprised and frustrated at his own reminiscence, he shook his head as if to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts. He focused his eyes to his friends' shenanigans again; the tune playing had changed to one that had a slow but pulsating rhythm and Momoi was slow dancing with Kagami, who was glaring at a man who seemed to be checking her out. Good, glare the bastard away, doesn't look like the good type anyway. Takao was dancing by himself, lost in a daze and trance – he had drank the most out of them, finishing multiple highly alcoholic cocktails in between the shots. Aomine texted to Midorima,

[To: Weirdo Carrot]

["Takao is shitfaced. Come n get him."]

He received a response right away,

[From: Weirdo Carrot]

["Go die. Both of you."]

Aomine sniggered, fully aware of how this would eventually turn out, he relaxed more on the stool he was sitting on and continued amusingly watching his friends act like teenagers. His phone vibrated a few minutes later, signalling another message received:

[From: Weirdo Carrot]

["You can call a cab for him. He knew I was working late today yet he still went out to drink. He has to deal with consequences. Like an expensive taxi ride home."]

Aomine snorted at the detailed explanation – or rather the poorly veiled childish caprice and started counting to ten in his mind. He was at number eight when his phone vibrated again:

[From: Weirdo Carrot]

["Don't call a cab. I'll be there in 40 minutes. Do not let him leave before then."]

He typed a lazy "ok" to Midorima, fully aware that he would receive an incessant stream of messages for confirmation, if he did not. He lazily continued sipping from his drinks, then when his friends came back showing them the pic he took, enjoying Kagami's horrified face. Another series of shots, some more small talk later, in 40 minutes exact Midorima arrived, made a beeline to them, grasped Takao like a large predator claiming his prey much to Takao's obvious glee and cheer, and left the club. It was then a matter of calling a cab for him and Momoi and another for Kagami, who shot a message to Kuroko swearing both his chastity not being tainted by either Takao or Momoi and also if he could maybe help him up once the cab arrives and please, please be home. Aomine was the least drunk of them all, not even drunk based on his regular standards, more like overtly tipsy and thus more cheerful than usual. Partially due to that he successfully managed to get Momoi to the cab, then carried her to her apartment once they arrived, then to her bed, and crushed on the couch on Momoi's living room – all without a single complaint bar some huffs and puffs and "Satsuki, I swear to God you've gained at least two kilos", that last one earned him a fake punch and then a giggle.

It was a given he would wake up late, and he actually woke up at almost 11 am, still it was earlier than he had hoped for, and the worst part was not even the hour: he had woken up to the terrible smell of something burning. The sleepy daze aside his hangover was surprisingly nasty, yet thanks to his keen senses he was able to realise and recall his whereabouts and situation very quickly and the first thing that came to his mind was:Satsuki.

He jumped from the couch and ran to the kitchen just in time to see a terrified Momoi dropping a pan spewing flames into the sink. The water from the sink soon swallowed the flames into oblivion with a loud "sh" sound, allowing him to breathe easier and inspect Momoi for any injuries.

"You're not hurt right?"

"Nope. God damn it… I just wanted to cook some sausages for breakfast since you were over."

"You sure? No slight burns either?"

"No. Nothing. Jeez, you're such a mother hen Dai-chan."

Momoi chuckled. Momoi had the audacity to chuckle; suddenly Aomine felt much grumpy and glared. Momoi sighed,

"God, you are terrible with teasing. Such a sourpuss. Come on. I'll buy you breakfast."

"What for? Burning our breakfast or attempting arson of your own house or waking me up so early?"

"It was my breakfast and it is my house and it is almost noon."

Aomine furrowed his eyebrows and gave the most accusing look he supposed he could manage, Momoi scoffed,

"You want sausages, or not? Last call."

Of course, he wanted sausages. So he relented. Long weekend brunches was not an uncommon activity for them, at least whenever they found the time in their hectic schedules. Aomine personally was not fond of eating for so long or the concept of 'brunch' itself; but it was a lazy activity and he was all for lazy activities. Most importantly, Momoi enjoyed it endlessly and loved bickering or chattering so he entertained her… and perhaps entertained himself through that but he would never admit that to Momoi. He didn't have to. After two hours spent lazily eating and drinking tea and talking – or rather Momoi talking and Aomine listening with half an ear, their brunch concluded and they went their separate ways. He had nothing to do at home and had not taken any work with him either; he sort of wished he did, there was still a lot of paperwork left to finish. Hours passed by in languid comfort of playing video games by himself, drinking lemonade, and doing laundry. Then napping. When he woke up from his nap to his growling stomach, he pondered about ordering in. He looked at the clock on his phone to realise it was late night already; almost 11 pm. Kise's shift would end in half an hour. If he left for the bar now, he would be there in less than fifteen minutes. But he did not feel like drinking.

So he got up and prepared himself a cup ramen.

* * *

.

.

.

.

His idea to get out of the paperwork duty by admitting his already-known lack of writing skills was a flop. Riko simply laughed at his complaint and told him that the choice for his punishment had taken that into account: if needed, he would have to re-do the paperwork he submitted, thus twice the paperwork, twice the punishment. He gave her the dirtiest glower he could summon.

She laughed out loud.

The week went by just like the one before, except with more work; his desk was covered with various reports and his fingers constantly hurt from typing too much. He was used to any kind of physical activity but this. He hoped the increase in finger exercise would allow him better grip while playing the ball. Takao laughed at his theory but later that day Aomine realised Kagami squeezing his stress ball with high concentration and flexing each finger carefully as if exercising. When the work week finally ended and Friday evening came about, nobody disrupted his work unlike the previous week. It had been an extremely busy day too, to the point that when he left work it was past 10 pm. He took some more paperwork and his work laptop home to wrap up some unfinished reports during weekend. He fell asleep earlier than his usual that Friday night.

Saturday started late for him and he successfully avoided work and instead focused on various shows he did not care for on the TV… until noon. When he started to the boring job of repeating the same sentence structures, just with different names of people or locales, exact clauses copy-pasted at the beginning and end of each individual case, numbering and counting, confirming this and that field… He actually got sucked into it. Not enjoying it did not change the fact that when it came to work, his full focus would be captured. When pangs of hunger rioted in his stomach he decided to call it a day. It was 10:51 pm.

He thought of preparing a cup ramen, he even opened the kitchen cabinet where he stored the damn thing, but instead he found himself staring at the wretched ugly packaging, his mind elsewhere.

He did not feel like drinking, actually. He had not particularly thought of Kise or anything, not that night, not that day, not that week.

Still, he went to the bar. Still, he recognised Kise working one of the booths, giggling and talking loudly, making dramatic hand gestures like always, women surrounding him full of glee. Still, he drank.

His mind was empty and his hands and eyes were too busy feeding himself the served snacks, which were definitely not enough to satisfy his hunger. When he realised that a considerable time had passed, he looked around and realised that Kise was gone.

It was 11:42 pm according to his phone. He sighed, unsure if it was out of disappointment or relief, and asked for the bill.

Instead of heading home, he thought of getting a bento from the nearby convenience store and took the narrow street to the other side of the bar… That was when he realised a figure reclining against the backside wall of the bar with a smoke in their hand.

He didn't have to look twice to recognise the person; it was Kise.

The yellow streetlights gave a golden hue to his appearance; like this, his hair almost glittered, the beautiful features of his face were highlighted even at night-time. He held the cigarette almost delicately and his eyes seemed to be focused on the ground, thoughtful yet also bemused and empty. There was a tender charm to him that Aomine had realised a few times in the past too; a lot different than the usual strong or seemingly forever-upbeat demeanour he wore. It was almost sad, Aomine found, especially at that moment.

Perhaps it was this: the sadness that was so alien on that pretty face so used to smiles and grins of all kinds. It was that sadness that slowly pulled Aomine's feet towards Kise, bringing him to a halt only when he was standing in front of the other, eyes scrutinising every inch of the man, as if to commit to the memory a once-again-found precious memento.

"Hey…"

Kise lifted his gaze and apparently could not fathom what expression to don for a second; his honest surprise, the very brief hint of genuine appeasement, a single glance of doubt, then the signature smile – Aomine noted them all.

"Hey."

"Didn't know you smoked."

"I don't… normally. I very rarely do…"

"So, what's the occasion?"

Kise chuckled and returned his eyes to the same point on the ground which he had been staring till a moment ago; what was it that was so interesting about that spot on the dirty pavement, Aomine could not figure out, though deep inside knew that it was likely a remembrance, an imagine concocted in Kise's mind was what keeping the host's eyes occupied.

"I…" Kise started, paused and inhaled once from his cigarette before continuing, "I guess, I'm afraid of getting used to… things I shouldn't be."

Aomine took a second to go over the words then nodded,

"I see."

Kise snickered, "No, you don't."

"Was that why you avoided me? At the bar?"

"I did not avoid you… I just got out for a smoke after my shift. I… I would have returned and if you were still around I would have—"

"But I left. I left before you returned."

Kise smiled, eyes still trained on the ground but from what Aomine could see of his face, the smile looked pained, a small sound of 'huff' came out from the full lips; of ache or irony or amusement… indecipherable.

Playing games or puzzles did not suit Aomine but he indulged the other for one last time; he sighed, closed his eyes for less than a second before opening them and speaking calmly, despite all the voices shouting in his mind that this was a terrible idea,

"Yet here I am."

Kise's eyes rose from the ground to stare at his face. An innocent bewilderment flowed from his warm honey eyes, lips slightly parted in what is probably a sign of awe, seemingly speechless. It was… cute.

Aomine found it cute, despite himself.

Before the wave of insecurity could even touch him for lack of a response, Kise's face bloomed into a smile. It was not a grin, nor was a chuckle heard, nor was there a need. Kise simply smiled then nodded his head as if confirming something to himself. He dropped the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it carefully.

"Sooo Aominecchi… I bet you are hungry."

"So?"

"Wanna grab something together?"

"Fine but you're paying."

"What? Why?"

"For being a rude shit and avoiding me. Also, you earn hell lot more."

"Aw, Aominecchi is so sensitive."

Kise stepped forward and leaned in towards Aomine, invading his personal space in a single moment, their breaths mingling. But Aomine looked purely indifferent, shook his shoulder, digging his hands into his pockets in nonchalance, started walking in the opposite direction as he grumbled,

"I want ramen."

Kise cackled and quickly caught up to him,

"Whatever you want princess."

"Kise, call me 'princess' one more time and I'll cut your tongue off."

"Sure, my honourable prince."

Aomine punched Kise's shoulder a little harder than the usual mock-punches they often exchanged just two weeks ago and Kise whined a little louder than always,

"Ow! Aominecchi! That hurt!"


End file.
